roman art

20 Pages·2005·2.03 MB·English

9
Roman Art
H ave you ever been to Rome, Italy? Have you ever seen a picture of
the famous Colosseum? What do you know about the Roman
Empire? By the second century B.C., Rome had become the greatest power in
the Western world. The Romans were an energetic, practical people, and
Roman art reflects these characteristics. Ancient Roman buildings and other
structures combine function and beauty. They demonstrate the Romans’
genius and skill in engineering and architecture. Roman achievements have
directly influenced the art of modern civilization.
Read to Find Out Read this chapter to find out about Roman sculp-
ture, painting, and architecture. Learn about Roman public buildings
and buildings that were used for recreation.
Focus Activity The Romans admired Greek art and often copied
Greek style. Think of the Greek artwork you learned about in Chapter 8.
Look closely at Figure 9.1. Notice the detail in one of the friezes from
the Ara Pacis altar. What elements in the frieze remind you of Greek
sculpture? Do you think Greek sculpture influenced the creation of the
figures in this altar frieze? Divide your paper into two columns. In the
first column, list the Roman artworks you learn about in this chapter. In
the second column, list the ways each artwork might be influenced by
Greek artwork.
Using the Time Line Notice on the Time Line that the altar men-
tioned above was dedicated in 9 B.C.during the Pax Romana. This was
a time of peace and prosperity in the Roman world.
51 B.C. 44 B.C.
Cicero, a Roman Roman 27 B.C.–A.D.14
orator and statesman, dictator Reign of 9 B.C. 1st century B.C. A.D.5
Maison Carrée is
writes De republica, Caesar is Augustus Dedication of the Roman poet
built in Nimes,
a work of political murdered Ara Pacis altar Ovid writes
philosophy (detail) France (detail) Metamorphoses
500 B.C. 100 B.C. B.C. A.D.
509–27 B.C. 27 B.C.–A.D. 476
Roman Republic Roman Empire
190
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FIGURE 9.1 The Ara Pacis Augustae: The First Family. Frieze from the Altar of Peace. First century B.C.Rome, Italy. Bridgeman Art Gallery.
A.D.89–117
Roman aqueduct
A.D.118–125
A.D.72–80 is built in Segovia, A.D.161–180
The Pantheon is
The Colosseum Spain (detail) Reign of Marcus
built in Rome
is built in Rome Aurelius Refer to the Time Line
on page H11 in your
Art Handbookfor more
A.D. 100 A.D. 200 A.D. 500 about this period.
101–106 410–476
Trajan’s Conquest Decline of the Roman Empire
191
LESSON ONE
The Rising Power of Rome
Vocabulary U nder the rule of Etruscan kings, Rome grew in size and importance.
■ mural By the end of the sixth century B.C., it had become the largest and
■ barrel vault richest city in Italy. The Romans, however, were never happy under
■ keystone
Etruscan rule, and in 509 B.C.they drove the Etruscans from the city and
■ aqueduct
established a republic.
Discover
After completing this lesson,
The Roman Republic
you will be able to:
■ Identify the inspiration for much
Ridding themselves of the Etruscans did not end Rome’s problems.
of Roman art and architecture.
■ Identify the quality Romans Finding themselves surrounded by enemies, the Romans were forced to
favored in their sculptures and fight for survival. As nearby enemies were defeated, more distant foes
their paintings. tried to conquer the young republic. Rome managed to defend itself
■ Name the ways in which Roman
against these threats and extended its reach and influence until all of Italy
artists improved on earlier build-
was under its control.
ing processes.
An early victory over Carthage, its chief rival, won Rome its first over-
seas province, Sicily. Eventually, Rome controlled territory from Britain in
the west to Mesopotamia in the east (Figure 9.2).
The Greek Influence
Much of Roman art was copied
Roman Empire
from the Greeks. From the very
15°W 0° 15°E 30°E 45°E
55°N beginning, well-born and cultured
Hadrian’s Wall
North N Romans exhibited a great admiration
Sea E
W
Britain S for Greek art forms of every period
ATLANTIC Rhine and style. They imported Greek
45°NOCEAN Gaul River works by the shipload and even
Black Sea brought Greek artists to Rome to
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Greece
Syria heirs of Greek art although they also
35°N Carthage MAecdtiuimterranean Sea Palestine mowand,e eimsppeociratallnyt icno tnhter idbeuvtieolnops mofe tnhteir
End of Punic Wars, 146 B.C. of architecture.
AAGttr eCAaauteegssuats ret’usx std’esen adtt ehoa,ft 4he4m, ABp..DCir.. e1,4 A.D. 130 Egypt NileRiver
Battle site AFRICA Roman Sculpture
and Painting
MAP SKILLS
■ FIGURE9.2 Notice the wide area influenced by ancient Rome. In sculpture and painting, Roman
From this map, what can you conclude about the power and the works reflect the tremendous influ-
organization of the Roman Empire? ence exerted by earlier Greek artists.
192
Portrait Sculpture expressions, which suggest their personali-
ties and character.
A desire for lifelike portraits can be traced
back to the earliest period of Rome’s history.
Mural Painting
At that time, wax masks of deceased family
members were made to be carried in funeral Wealthy Roman families lived in luxurious
processions and displayed in small shrines in homes with courtyards, gardens with elabo-
the home. Masks made of wax were not per- rate fountains, rooms with marble walls and
manent, though, and a more durable material mosaics on the floors, and numerous works
was sought. Marble and other kinds of stone of art. They did not, however, like to hang
were found especially suitable. Soon artists paintings on the walls of their homes.
who could carve portraits from these materi- Instead, they hired artists to paint murals.
als were in great demand. (See Figure 9.1,page 190.) A muralis a large
picture painted directly on the wall.The
Differences Between Greek artists who painted these murals tried to
and Roman Sculpture reproduce the world around them as accu-
rately as possible. They painted landscapes
Many of the sculptors who worked in Rome
and pictures of buildings that suggested a
came from Greece. These artists worked in the
world that lay beyond the walls of the room.
Greek tradition but adapted that tradition to
These scenes often create the impression
meet Roman demands. The Greeks preferred
that you are gazing out a window overlook-
idealistic portraits; the Romans wanted theirs
ing a city (Figure 9.4).
to look more realistic. Perhaps this was
Of course, not all Roman paintings were
because most Greek portraits were designed for
noteworthy. This is evident in many paintings
public monuments, whereas Roman portraits
found in houses in Pompeii and neighboring
were meant to serve private needs.
The Romans wanted their sculptures to
remind viewers of specific individuals. This
explains why most Roman portraits seem so
natural and lifelike. The Romans felt that a
person’s character could best be shown
through facial features and expressions.
Therefore, they often commissioned portrait
heads rather than sculptures of the entire
figure. The Greeks, in contrast, considered
asculpture of a head or bust (head and
shoulders) incomplete.
Double Portrait
■
FIGURE9.3
A Roman portrait sculpture creates the
feeling that the viewer is looking at a real
person. So much so, in fact, that the figure
portrayed may even look familiar. If you saw
■
FIGURE9.3 This double portrait of a husband and wife shows each
the couple in Figure 9.3on the street and
as they must have looked in life, complete with all their imperfections.
they were wearing modern clothing, you
The man is older, with deep creases in his face. His younger wife has a
might walk right past them without noticing. face marked less by age and experience. How do these details demon-
Like all Roman portrait sculptures, this work strate the differences between Roman and Greek styles?
is an exact duplicate of real people with
Bust of Cato and Portia. Roman. Late First century. White marble with traces of color.
alltheir wrinkles and imperfections and Museo Pio Clementino, Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy. Scala/Art Resource, NY.
Chapter 9 Roman Art 193
cities, which were covered by ashes when the
volcano Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79. When
the well-preserved ruins of these cities were
discovered and excavations began, it was
found that almost every house was decorated
with murals. Many are quite ordinary, created
by painters of limited ability.
Maiden Gathering Flowers
■
FIGURE9.5
A surprising number of fine works were
also found in the area surrounding Pompeii.
Among these is a painting of a maiden paus-
ing in midstride to pluck a flower for her bou-
quet (Figure 9.5). A breeze stirs her garments
as she turns her head and daintily removes a
■
FIGURE9.4 This room, with its patterned mosaic floor and murals,
blossom from the tip of a tall bush. Charming
was preserved by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius. How is this
and beautiful, this work hints at the level of
room similar to and different from a modern bedroom?
skill and sensitivity that must have been
Bedroom from the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor.Pompeian, Boscoreale. First century B.C. reached by many Roman painters.
Fresco on lime plaster. Mosaic floor, couch, and footstool come from Roman villas of later
date. 2.6 (cid:1)5.8 (cid:1)3.3 m (8(cid:2)81⁄2(cid:3)(cid:1)19(cid:2)17⁄8(cid:3)(cid:1)10(cid:2)111⁄2(cid:3)). The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, New York. Rogers Fund, 1903. 03.14.13.
Roman Architecture
Whereas few Roman paintings and murals
remain today, many examples of Roman archi-
tecture, bridges, and monuments have survived.
Rome ruled an area that extended from
present-day Great Britain to the Near East. The
Romans built roads, sea routes, and harbors to
link their far-flung cities. They designed and
constructed city services such as aqueducts and
sewer systems, and they erected public build-
ings for business and leisure-time activities.
Because they were excellent planners and engi-
neers, the Romans were destined to make their
mark as the first great builders of the world.
The Temples
Many early Roman temples made use of fea-
tures developed by earlier architects, especially
the Greeks. These features, however, were used
by Romans to satisfy their own needs and
tastes. For example, whereas the Greeks used
columns as structural supports, the Romans
■
FIGURE9.5 This figure has a realistic, graceful
added columns to their buildings as decoration
appearance. Name the elements and principles of art
and not necessarily for structural purposes.
used by the artist to achieve this effect.
Flora, or Spring.Wall painting from Stabiae, a Roman resort on the Bay of
Naples, Italy. First century A.D. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples, Italy.
194 Unit Three Art of Rising Civilizations
■
FIGURE9.6 Notice the
similarities between this
Roman temple and the Greek
Parthenon, Figure 8.1, page
166. Why do you think the
Romans did not copy the
Greek temple exactly?
Maison Carrée, Nimes, France.
First century B.C.
Maison Carrée A closer look reveals that the freestanding
■ columns do not surround the entire building
FIGURE9.6
as they do in Greek temples such as the
The Greek influence can be seen in a tem-
Parthenon. Instead, they are used only for the
ple built by the Romans in France during the
porch at the front. Along the sides and back of
first century B.C(Figure 9.6).At first glance,
the building, half-columns are attached to the
the rectangular shape and Ionic columns
solid walls to create a decorative pattern.
make this building look like a Greek temple.
ROMAN COINS. Roman coins were used
in trade and commerce throughout the
Roman Empire. Imprinted with images of
emperors, nobles, and important events,
they provide information to researchers
about the Roman way of life.
c. 509 B.C. A.D. 410
Roman Empire
See more Time & Place events on the
Time Line, page H11 in your Art Handbook
Activity
ARMOR. Footsoldiers, called legion- Identifying Artifacts.
naires, wore protective helmets and Both of these artifacts from Roman times
metal leg guards. Legionnaires were give us a glimpse into the expanse and
trained volunteers, marching to distant success of the Roman Empire. Identify
Roman territory to build forts, camps, two artifacts from our society today that
and walls to defend conquered lands. reveal aspects of contemporary times.
Chapter 9 Roman Art 195
The Temple Complex in Palestrina After Rome became Christianized, the ora-
cle at Praeneste was banished and the temple
Another early Roman temple that made use
destroyed. Eventually the temple was forgot-
of Greek features is found in the foothills of
ten and, after the fall of Rome, a town was
the Apennines, a short distance from Rome.
built on the site. It was not until a bombing
The route to this temple is along an ancient
raid in World War II destroyed most of the
Roman road called the Appian Way. This road
houses that the ruins of the huge temple were
was once lined with the grand villas and
discovered.
tombs of wealthy Roman citizens.
The town of Praeneste (now the modern
Design of the Temple Complex
city of Palestrina) was said to have originated
when a peasant found a mysterious tablet in The Temple of Fortuna Primigenia became
the woods nearby. According to legend, the part of a large complex, which included
history of the town was recorded on this tablet, circular and semicircular temples, terraces,
even though the town itself had not yet been colonnades, arches, and staircases. To span
built. The people in the area were so impressed openings, the builders constructed arches. To
that they erected a temple (Figure 9.7)to house roof large areas, they created a barrel vault,a
a statue of Fortuna, the goddess of good for- series of round arches from front to back that
tune; the mysterious tablet was placed within form a tunnel(Figure 9.8). This made it pos-
this statue. This temple—the Temple of Fortuna sible to cover huge rooms and halls with half-
Primigenia—became the home of a famous round stone ceilings. Because these ceilings
oracle, and people came from great distances were so heavy, thick, windowless walls were
to have their futures revealed. needed to support them.
■
FIGURE9.7 Here Roman builders constructed staircases leading to a series of seven terraces built into
a hillside. How does this technique differ from the way Greek builders used a hill site for the Acropolis?
Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, Palestrina, Italy. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Palestrina, Italy. c. 120–180 B.C.
196 Unit Three Art of Rising Civilizations
Closely
LOOKING
➤
STRUCTURE AND DESIGN
The design of this Roman structure, which has been
standing for almost 2000 years, demonstrates how use of
the arch and barrel vault creates stability and strength
even in large buildings.
•
Round Arch. A wall or
another arch is needed to
counter the outward force of
the arch. You can see the
arch outlined in the picture.
•
Keystone. The top stone of
the arch holds other stones
in place. The keystone for
one of the arches is outlined
at the top of the arch.
•
Barrel Vault. A half-round
stone ceiling is made by
placing a series of round
arches from front to back.
The barrel vault is formed
in the dark area under
the outlined arch.
■
FIGURE9.8 Roman Amphitheater, Arles, France. End of
first century A.D.
Innovations in Structure and Concrete, one of the most versatile of build-
Materials ing materials, was used in the Temple of
Fortuna Primigenia. Although concrete had
The round arch improved on the post-and-
been used in the Near East for some time, the
lintel system that the Greeks used. The post
Romans were the first to make extensive use of
and lintel limited the space builders could
this material. Coupled with their knowledge of
bridge. A stone lintel could not be used to
the arch, concrete enabled the Romans to con-
span a wide space because it would break.
struct buildings on a large scale.
Unlike a lintel, an arch (Figure 9.8) is made
of a number of bricks or cut stones. During
The Spread of Roman Architecture
the construction of the amphitheater at Arles,
France, Roman builders constructed arches by Wherever the Roman legions went, they
holding the stones in place with a wooden introduced the arch and the use of concrete in
form until a keystone,or top stone of the arch, architecture. With these they constructed great
could be placed in position. The space that domes and vaults over their buildings. Usually,
can be spanned in this manner is much they covered their concrete structures with
greater than the space bridged by a lintel. An marble slabs or ornamental bricks. Even
arch, however, needs the support of another today, the remains of baths, amphitheaters
arch or a wall. Without that support, the out- (Figure 9.8), theaters (Figure 9.9, page 198),
ward force of the arch will cause it to collapse. triumphal arches, and bridges (Figure 9.10,
For this reason, the Romans created a series of page 198) are found throughout countries that
smaller arches to replace the single large arch. were once part of the Roman Empire.
Chapter 9 Roman Art 197
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FIGURE9.9 This theater provided seating and entertainment for many during the time Rome ruled
over its vast empire. It was built by Agrippa in 24 B.C.What does the location of this theater tell about the
extent of the Roman Empire?
Roman theater, Merida, Spain. 24 B.C.
■
FIGURE9.10 This bridge near Alcantara, in Spain, was built about A.D. 105. It still stands today, provid-
ing a way for traffic to cross the river, in the same way it stood nearly 2,000 years ago. What can you con-
clude about the Romans’ introduction of the arch and their use of concrete?
Roman bridge, Alcantara, Spain. A.D. 105–6.
198 Unit Three Art of Rising Civilizations
Roman Aqueducts
Aqueducts demonstrate the
Romans’ ability to combine engi-
neering skills with a knowledge of
architectural form. An aqueduct,a
system that carried water from
mountain streams into cities by
using gravitational flow,was con-
structed by placing a series of
arches next to each other so they
would support each other.
Although attractive, these
aqueducts were designed for effi-
ciency rather than beauty. Eleven
were built in and around Rome
alone. These ranged in length
from 10 miles to 60 miles. They
carried about 270 million gallons
(1 billion liters) of water into the
city every day.
One of the best-known aque-
ducts is found in Segovia, Spain
(Figure 9.11). It brought water to
the city from a stream 10 miles
away. Constructed of granite
blocks laid without mortar or
cement, the aqueduct consisted of
■
FIGURE9.11 Many people consider this aqueduct the most important Roman
many angles to break the force of
construction in Spain. Why were aqueducts so important? Why were they con-
the rushing water. structed as a series of arches?
Roman aqueduct, Segovia, Spain. A.D. 89–117.
LESSON ONE REVIEW
Reviewing Art Facts
1. IdentifyFrom which culture did the
Romans copy much of their art and Comparing Styles The Romans admired the architecture
architecture? of the Greeks, but they used the Greek architectural styles
2. DescribeWhat purpose did Romans for very different purposes. The Greeks created structures
want their sculptures and paintings to for beauty and harmony. The Romans often created theirs
serve? to show the power of the Roman Empire.
3. RecallWhat did wealthy Romans use
Activity Collect visual examples of the architecture of
to decorate the walls of their homes?
Greece and Rome. In your group, study the examples care-
4. ExplainHow did the Romans adapt
fully and try to determine similarities and differences in the
columns in temple construction?
examples. Do the buildings have the same uses? Are the
construction methods alike? How were the buildings
named? Create a presentation of your findings for the class.
Visit art.glencoe.com for study tools and review activities. Chapter 9 199