Art History Quiz 2 Roman Art Flashcards

The Early Empire: during the age of Augustus, Roman portrait sculpture turned from the earlier veristic style of the Republic to a more classicizing style associated with ancient Greece
The Late Empire: not long after the death of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Empire entered a period of instability that lasted almost 100 years; in late antiquity, an abstract style came to dominate Roman architecture and sculpture, possibly due to an increased interest in spirituality, and to changing concepts of rulership

Laocoon Group, 1st century CE
-date is questionable: powerful tension between the subject's agonizing death throes and a viewer's pleasure at the work's extraordinary quality -- caused an art historian to date it to the 4th century BCE, as part of the Classical period; however, some say it looks like it belongs in the Hellenistic era, some say it was even done by Michelangelo

Temple of Portunus, Rome; 80-70 BCE; ROMAN
-Italic style: stands on a podium and engaged lateral columns emphasize the frontal approach-the Ionic columns have the slender proportions of Classical Greek temples as well as the white marble stucco, which deliberately evoked the translucent marbles used by Greek architects-the practice of borrowing Greek forms began early in the Roman Republic-was constructed by a Greek architect, Hermodorus

Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia - located in Praeneste; early 1st century BCE; Roman
-sanctuary to the goddess Fortuna Primigenia-oracular center where priests interpreted divine will by drawing lots-seven levels each with different purposes

Togate male portrait with busts; late 1st century BCE; ROMAN
-probably holding busts of ancestors-Republican portrait-probably commemorative

Augustus of Primaporta, 20 CE; ROMAN (The Early Empire)
-Augustus was emperor during the Early Empire-Roman portrait sculpture turned from the earlier veristic style of the Republic to a more classicizing style associated with ancient Greece-until his death, portraits of Augustus depict him as an ageless youth-both the contrapposto stance and the smooth features of his face are strongly reminiscent of Doryphoros from the Greek Classical Age-shows the tendency in Roman art to express a message through references to earlier works (Cupid, dolphin, breastplate) - by associating Augustus with historical or divine figures, these references projected an image of earthly and divinely ordained power, thereby elevating the emperor above other politicians

Portrait of Vespasian, 75 CE; ROMAN (Early Empire)
-back to veristic style of portrait (before this: idealistic; this: veristic; after this: back to idealistic) -differs from abstract quality found in late antiquity work-shows Vespasian realistically -- matter-of-fact like the strong and successful military man he was

Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius; 161-180 CE; ROMAN (Early Empire)
-beginning in the 2nd century CE, Roman portraits gradually take on a more abstract quality -- seen in this portrait of Marcus Aurelius - eyes: heavy lids = remote quality-not idealized

Ara Pacis Augustae, west facade. 13-9 BCE; ROMAN
-The Republican practice of commissioning narrative reliefs to record specific events continued well into the Empire - they were mounted on public buildings and monuments - like the Ara Pacis Augustae-relief panels represent allegorical figures, or personifications, and figures from Rome's legendary past-deeply political art -- characterizes much of Roman art

Imperial procession south frieze at the Ara Pacis Augustae, 13-9 BCE; ROMAN
-deeply political art, which characterizes much of Roman art-seems to record a particular event-in their superficial resemblance to the Greek Parthenon frieze, they bear witness, once again, to the preference for Greek styles in the age of Augustus

Arch of Titus, Rome, 81 CE; ROMAN
-stands at the far eastern end of the Roman Forum-earliest surviving free-standing arch in Rome-could have been a triumphal monument but it is more likely that it commemorates Titus' divinization after his death-reliefs located inside the bay

Relief in bay of Arch of Titus, showing procession of spoils from the Temple in Jerusalem, 81 CE; ROMAN
-the panel marks an important move toward illusionism in the portrayal of space - two ranks of figures appear, carved in different levels of relief; background figures seem to fade into the distance; seems to continue beyond a viewer's line of sight because the procession breaks away abruptly at the sides-illusion of SPACIAL DEPTH-panel even bulges out slightly in the center -- so that it seems to turn right in front of a viewer situated inside the arch's bay, making the viewer a part of the action

Relief in bay of Arch of Titus, showing Titus riding in triumph, 81 CE?; ROMAN
-differing levels of relief-horses appear in profile but chariot is frontal - giving the illusion that the procession is coming towards the viewer before turning sharply -- not realistic but artist wanted to show that there were 4 horses-Vespasian's absence shows how Roman visual narratives are not always historically accurate depictions of events --> they are made to express a version of events that serves the patron's ideology

Column of Trajan, Rome. 106-113 CE; ROMAN
-exploration of space and narrative-there is a 656-foot continuous narrative relief that winds around the column -- celebrating the emperor's victorious campaigns against the Dacians-combats rarely occur in the many scenes of the relief -- the geographic, logistic, and political aspects of the campaign receive more attention-still part of the classicizing phase of Roman sculpture

Relief on the column of Trajan, Rome; 106-113 CE; Roman
-celebrating the emperor's victorious campaigns against the Dacians-combats rarely occur in the many scenes of the relief -- the geographic, logistic, and political aspects of the campaign receive more attention-still part of the classicizing phase of Roman sculpture-relief = formulaic; stock scenes are repeated again and again