ROMAN artT, R, 12-1:20PM

Professor Paige Prater

Place

Time Periods

• 509-27BCE The Republic• 27BCE-96CE The Early Empire• 96-192CE High Imperial Art of Trajan & Hadrian• 192-395CE The Late Empire, Third & Fourth Centuries

Roman Origins

• Romulus & Remus, twin sons of Mars, god of War• Aeneas, mortal son of Venus and survivor of the Trojan

War• A people migrated to Neolithic Latium, south of Tiber,

settling on the Palatine, one of the 7 hills that eventually became city of Rome• 6th century BCE –round huts>major transportation/trade

center.

• Latin-speaking

Roman Religion

• Greek gods/myths: Roman names• Added deified emperors, later• Official state religion mixed with political duty (oath of

allegiance to living rulers)• Other religious influences: Isis/Osiris from Egypt, Cybele from

Anatolia, Mithras from Persia, God of Judaism/Christianity from Palestine

Roman Writings on Art

• Vitruvius Ten Books on Architecture (1st Century CE)

• Pliny the Elder (c. 23-79CE) Naturalis Historia

• Pliny the Younger, nephew of Pliny the Elder (c. 61-113CE) LOTS of LETTERS (describing villas and gardens)

• Flavius Josephus (c. 37-100CE) Jewish Wars (loot taken from the Temple of Solomon)

• Ovid (c. 43BCE-17CE) Metamorphoses (themes for art)

• Plutarch (c. 46-after 119CE) commentary on art/artists

The Republic 509-27 BCE

• Early Roman Government: kings + Senate (citizen leaders)• 2 Classes, Poor and Rich: Plebians + Patricians

• 509BCE- Etruscan king overthrown, OLIGARCHY established – GOVERNMENT by the artistocrats…lasted 450 years!• 275 BCE – entire Italian peninsula=Roman• 146BCE– Carthage and western Mediterranean = Roman• 150BCE - Macedonia and Greece = Roman• 44BCE – Gaul (France) and eastern Mediterranean =Roman• 31BCE – Egypt = Roman (Battle of Actium, Octavian defeats

Marc Anthony and Cleopatra)

Aulus Metellus 80BCE

• Bronze portrait, 5’ 11”• a.k.a. The Orator• Toga and laced leather boots• Memorial?

Pompey the Great, 50 BCE

• Verism• Marble, 9 ¼”• General• One of a 3-man team

(including Caesar and Crassus) who ruled from 60-53BCE

Denarius with Portrait of Julius Caesar, 44BCE

• Relief portrait on denarius coin

• Julius Caesar, living ruler

• Venus on the reverse

Pont du Gard, Nîmes, France, late 1st century BCE

• Round arch, vault, and CONCRETE

• Aqueduct (water for city)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQqtiwIq9gw

Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia (model) 2nd century BCE

• Discovered after WWII in bomb rubble, 16 mi southeast of Rome

• Concrete with stucco and cut limestone veneer

• 7 vaulted platforms/terraces

• exedrae: semicircular niches

• Colonnades• tholos

Temple (dedicated to Portunus) late 2nd century BCE

Maison Carrée 20BCE Nîmes, France

Augustus of Primaporta early 1st

century CE

• Julius Caesar = great-uncle• 19 years old; peace in 17 years• 27BCE – “Augustus” (exalted,

sacred by Senate• “Pontifex Maximus” 12CE• Nearly 60 year rule!• Etruscan, Greek; Roman

idealism; propaganda

Ara Pacis Augustae, 13-9BCE

• Altar of Augustan Peace

• Commemorative• Triumphal return

after est. Roman rule in Gaul & Hispania

Ara Pacis Augustae

Imperial Procession 5’2”, south side

• New museum opened in 2006• American architect, Richard

Meier designed it in 1996

Ara Pacis Augustae – Allegory of Peace

Pompeii – Mt Vesuvius 79CE

• Nature• Landscapes painted on interiors• Grid plan, but divided in quarters; forum

and other public buildings were located at this intersection (Pompeii grew over time, not as grid-like.)

• Insulae• 10-20,000 inhabitants in Pompeii• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn14wkg0mhM

• Houses behind/above shops

Young Woman Writing,Detail of a wall-painting, Pompei, 37cm.

House of the Vetii, Pompeii (62-79CE)

Villa of the Mysteries

• Marble “dado” (lower part of the wall)

• Cult site…maybe Dionysos?

Garden scene, Villa of Livia at Primaporta, 1st Century BCE