Art History, Ancient Rome

1. Roman
Republic
Saturday, August 1, 15

2. Temple of Fortuna Virilis
125 BC Forum Boarium- fusion of Greek and Tuscan
traditions
Saturday, August 1, 15

3. Sanctuary of Fortuna
at Praeneste (Palestina)
1st century BC
Large temple complex, on a steep hillside. Includes a series of ramps and terraces
lead up to a large colonnaded court, from there a flight of steps arranged like the
seats of a Greek theater lead to the semi-circular colonnade at the top. An entire
hillside is transformed and articulated so that the architectural forms seem to grow
out of the rock.
Illustrates early use of arches, barrel vaults and concrete. (most important
characteristics of Roman architecture.
Saturday, August 1, 15

4. Pompey the Great
55 BC
small eyes, big nose puffy face
the real Pompey
also tousled hair similar to
Lysippus’ Alexander the Great
Capitoline Brutus
bronze
Roman Republic Portraiture
characterized by VERISM= realism shows all
imperfections, unlike the idealism of Greek
Portraiture.
Saturday, August 1, 15

5. Julio-Claudian Emperors
Saturday, August 1, 15

6. Augustus of Prima Porta
ca 20 BC at the Vatican
Augustus is shown as victorious general
but his body is idealized. He has an air of
divinity. Elaborate breastplate commemorates
the victory over Parthia and the return of the
standards. Structural support provided by
Cupid riding a dolphin (reference to Augustan’s
divine ancestry-goddess Venus.
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

7. Ara Pacis 9 BC - the Altar of Peace
Imperial processional
Augustus and family
Tellus- Earth goddess -
personification of Rome-2 children
and the lush vegetation represent
the peace and prosperity of the
Augustan Age.
Saturday, August 1, 15

8. Gemma Augustea
10 AD
Top section shows Augustus
portrayed as Jupiter seated next
to the goddess Roma.
Bottom section shows Roman
soldiers erecting a war trophy in
the presence of captured
Barbarians.
Saturday, August 1, 15

9. Domus Aurea- The Golden House of Nero
Built after the great fire of Rome in 64 AD. Octagonal room had a ceiling that rotated
to reflect the movement of the heavens.
Paintings on wall reflect the 3rd Pompeiian style
Saturday, August 1, 15

10. Arch of Titus
commemorating the sack of Jerusalem 81 AD
Saturday, August 1, 15

11. Arch of Titus
Relief panels
Spoils of the Temple
Processional
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

12. Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum)
80 AD
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

13. Inside the Colosseum
* accommodated 50,000 spectators
* Concrete core- miles of vaulted corridors
* masterpiece of engineering efficiency to
insure the smooth flow of traffic
Exterior
* 80 arched entrances
* three levels of arches framed
by engaged columns
* ground floor is Doric
middle level is Ionic
Top level is Corinthian
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

14. Pompeii and Herculaneum
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

15. Human and animal casts
Cave Canem Mosaic
Pompeii
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Saturday, August 1, 15

16. 4 Styles of Painting in Ancient Rome
(Pompeiian style)
* 1st style- ca 2nd c. BC imitates stone masonry
2nd style- ca 1st c BC introduces images of landscapes
surrounded by an architectural frame, extending the
interior space by the use of perspective.
Illusions are rational and naturalistic
CCA Italy trip 2010
House of Augustus
Saturday, August 1, 15

17. Villa of Mysteries 2nd Style Pompeii
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

18. Bedroom from Boscoreale
2nd style (MOMA)
Saturday, August 1, 15

19. 4 Styles of Painting in Ancient Rome
(Pompeiian style) cont.
3rd Style- ca 20 BC-20 AD- emphasized the flat confining nature of walls, characterized by the use of
delicate and sophisticated details, denied all appearances of rationality and logic. Wall was painted a solid
color (red, black or white), slender architectural details enclose small vignettes in the center of the wall.
Saturday, August 1, 15

20. 4 Styles of Painting in Ancient Rome
(Pompeiian style) cont.
Domus Aurea frescoes
3rd style
Boscotrecase frescoes
3rd style
Saturday, August 1, 15

21. 4 Styles of Painting in Ancient Rome
(Pompeiian style) cont.
House of the Vettii (Ixion room) Pompeii
4th style ca 20-79 AD- a synthesis between the 2nd style spaciousness and
3rd style elegance, elaborate illusionism.
Saturday, August 1, 15

22. House of the Faun
Pompeii
Large Roman villa named for the bronze statue of a faun located in the
impluvium
Saturday, August 1, 15

23. Alexander Mosaic
House of the Faun
Pompeii
Mosaic Copy of a 3rd c.BC painting depicting Alexander the Great’s
victory over the Persian King Darius
Saturday, August 1, 15

24. 5 Good Emperors
Saturday, August 1, 15

25. Forum of Trajan
Rome, dedicated 112 AD
Largest of the Imperial Fora
Architect Apollodorus of Damascus
Saturday, August 1, 15

26. Trajan’s Colum
decorated with a spiral band of relief depicting Trajan’s Dacian campaigns
More than 2500 human figures, in addition to horses, boats, vehicles and
military equipment
Saturday, August 1, 15

27. The Pantheon
ca 120 AD
The best preserved structure from Ancient Rome. A
temple dedicated to all gods. On the site of an earlier
temple built by M. Agrippa. The Emperor Hadrian
probably commissioned the temple and played
a role in the design.
Exterior: deep porch
Corinthian Columns
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

28. Pantheon Interior
The interior is round with
a domed roof. In the roof is the
“Oculus” (eye). The Oculus
is 25 feet wide and lets in light
that moves around the room as
the sun moves across the sky.
The dome and drum are of
equal heights-
in exact balance
Saturday, August 1, 15

29. Hadrian’s Mausoleum
(Castel Sant’ Angelo)
139 AD
Saturday, August 1, 15

30. Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
10 monolithic Corinthian Columns with portico still visible. Located
in the Roman Forum
Saturday, August 1, 15

31. Equestrian Statue of
Marcus Aurelius
176 AD
Bronze, larger than life. A copy stands
in the center of Piazza del Campidoglio
which is a square designed by
Michelangelo on the Capitoline Hill.
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

32. Late Empire
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

33. Arch of Septimus Severus
AD 203
in the Roman Forum
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

34. Baths of Caracalla
AD 212-216
Saturday, August 1, 15

35. 4 Tetrarchs
Under the leadership of Emperor
Diocletian the empire was
organized into a tetrarchy. Tetrarchy
is a Greek word for “rulership of Four.”
These are not individual portraits
each figure looks the same.
There is a lack of realism, naturalism
and the figures are stiff and rigid.
Saturday, August 1, 15

36. Arch of Constantine
dedicated 315 AD in honor of Constantine’s defeat of Maxentius
Located next to the Colosseum. Three archways are decorated with sculpture from earlier
monuments (Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian). The combination of styles is stylistically
different with a non-naturalistic approach. There is little spatial depth and Constantine
is abnormally larger than other figures.
Saturday, August 1, 15

37. Basilica of Maxentius
308-312 AD
Located in the Roman Forum
Was the largest building
in ancient Rome.
Contained the Colossal of
Constantine.
Today only the north aisle, three
large barrel vaults remain.
CCA Italy trip 2010
Saturday, August 1, 15

38. Colossal Head of
Constantine
4th c AD
Saturday, August 1, 15