In some ways, it is very much like Greek art.
Characteristics: Roman realism: Practical and down to earth; the arch
Chief Artists and Major Works: Augustus of Primaporta, Colosseum, Trajan's Column, Pantheon
Historical Events: Julius Caesar assassinated (44 BCE); Augustus proclaimed Emperor (27 BCE); Diocletian splits Empire (292 CE); Rome Falls (476 CE)
The Romans were most interested in portraiture: in making statues that really looked like on particular person, especially someone who is famous. Romans looked at the opposite end of the spectrum of what Greek Art looked like. Greek Art looked at the ideals in a human for example, what is the most beautiful, or the most perfect body of a man? What can be classed as the most athletic man? Romans and Roman Art were more interested in reality of the human body, even though they were heavily inspired by Greek Art.
There was a rumour of the Roman civilisation, where it was believed that having a good image of someone's face what important to keeping their ghost happy after the said person died. This also prevented haunting. This may explain the reason of the thousands of portraits that were created in the Roman era.
The Romans bought or stole much of the Greek art after invasions. Greeks even gave their art as presents to the Romans. They also bought back Greek sculptors, often as slaves, to make more art for them back in Rome. Augustus' Ara Pacis, of the Altar of Peace, for example, shows a heavy amount of influence from Greek art within the swirls on the front, in the frieze, which is alike the Parthenon frieze and in the meanders underneath the frieze.
The Romans copied off of the Greeks frequently and continued the traditions or portraiture and Greek imitations. The Roman artists, however, added more use of art as propaganda to show what the emperors wanted people to know or to think. The more famous of these are the Arch of Titus and Trajan's Column.
Wall paintings were also very common within the Roman era. The wall paintings of the Roman era can be divided into four different main styles. The biggest collection of wall paintings were found in Pompeii, with thousands of different types of wall paintings in one area.
Style number one was the fresco painting on the walls of houses. This style of painting is a cheap way of having marble-lookalike panels on the walls.
The second style is in which artists began to add little paintings within the marble panels, and their lookalikes. For example, there were garlands, fruit, flowers and birds painted onto the walls.
The third of the four styles takes the second style further by adding whole scenes to the walls. In the painting from the Villa of Mysteries at Pompeii, you are able to see life sized people talking to each other, and sitting on chairs, as if you were looking into another room, and not just at a painting on the wall.
Many other countries and civilizations took the Roman art and mixed it in with different styles. The Gauls continued their art styles with new Roman ideas. So did the Britons, the Spanish, the Carthaginians and the Phonicians, etcetera.
However, the Romans not only influenced others, and were influenced by the Greeks, but they were also heavily influenced within the third century CE, or 200 CE.
Wars with the Germans in the north were accompanied by a new taste of bloodshed in art. This influenced new monuments and artworks including monuments such as the Column of Marcus Aurelius, were it is often showed that people are having their heads cut off or their guts ripped out, or that they are suffering in a cruel, inhuman way. You can also see this on the Arch of Septimus Severus.
The increasing use of the drill rather than a hammer and chisel make sculpting easier and faster. This gave sculptures a different look to when the modern techniques were used.
Within this section of the Roman era, there was an increasing, new concern for the soul. There was an increasing number of Christians in the Roman Empire and this is emphasised in the art. There was also emphasis on the eyes, otherwise known as the windows to the soul, as they were often looking upwards to heaven, or the Gods. The body was also less important, and because of this, the sculptors take less care in carving the body accurately. Sometimes, the arms and legs are too short, and the head too big.
In the fourth, and fifth century (300 and 400 CE), towards the end of the Roman Empire and era, there is less blood and gore that is featured in the art of the Romans. The interest in the soul and the tendency for disproportioned bodies continue right up to the Fall of Rome. In this time, the Romans also concentrate on the goddess Venus, who is often shown rising out of the ocean, or being reborn into a new body and a new world.
Sources:
www.google.co.uk/
www.historyforkids.org
www.visual-arts-cork.com
www.crystalinks.com
Up Next: Indian, Chinese and Japanese Art
The Romans were most interested in portraiture: in making statues that really looked like on particular person, especially someone who is famous. Romans looked at the opposite end of the spectrum of what Greek Art looked like. Greek Art looked at the ideals in a human for example, what is the most beautiful, or the most perfect body of a man? What can be classed as the most athletic man? Romans and Roman Art were more interested in reality of the human body, even though they were heavily inspired by Greek Art.
There was a rumour of the Roman civilisation, where it was believed that having a good image of someone's face what important to keeping their ghost happy after the said person died. This also prevented haunting. This may explain the reason of the thousands of portraits that were created in the Roman era.
The Romans bought or stole much of the Greek art after invasions. Greeks even gave their art as presents to the Romans. They also bought back Greek sculptors, often as slaves, to make more art for them back in Rome. Augustus' Ara Pacis, of the Altar of Peace, for example, shows a heavy amount of influence from Greek art within the swirls on the front, in the frieze, which is alike the Parthenon frieze and in the meanders underneath the frieze.
The Romans copied off of the Greeks frequently and continued the traditions or portraiture and Greek imitations. The Roman artists, however, added more use of art as propaganda to show what the emperors wanted people to know or to think. The more famous of these are the Arch of Titus and Trajan's Column.
Wall paintings were also very common within the Roman era. The wall paintings of the Roman era can be divided into four different main styles. The biggest collection of wall paintings were found in Pompeii, with thousands of different types of wall paintings in one area.
Style number one was the fresco painting on the walls of houses. This style of painting is a cheap way of having marble-lookalike panels on the walls.
The second style is in which artists began to add little paintings within the marble panels, and their lookalikes. For example, there were garlands, fruit, flowers and birds painted onto the walls.
The third of the four styles takes the second style further by adding whole scenes to the walls. In the painting from the Villa of Mysteries at Pompeii, you are able to see life sized people talking to each other, and sitting on chairs, as if you were looking into another room, and not just at a painting on the wall.
Many other countries and civilizations took the Roman art and mixed it in with different styles. The Gauls continued their art styles with new Roman ideas. So did the Britons, the Spanish, the Carthaginians and the Phonicians, etcetera.
However, the Romans not only influenced others, and were influenced by the Greeks, but they were also heavily influenced within the third century CE, or 200 CE.
Wars with the Germans in the north were accompanied by a new taste of bloodshed in art. This influenced new monuments and artworks including monuments such as the Column of Marcus Aurelius, were it is often showed that people are having their heads cut off or their guts ripped out, or that they are suffering in a cruel, inhuman way. You can also see this on the Arch of Septimus Severus.
The increasing use of the drill rather than a hammer and chisel make sculpting easier and faster. This gave sculptures a different look to when the modern techniques were used.
Within this section of the Roman era, there was an increasing, new concern for the soul. There was an increasing number of Christians in the Roman Empire and this is emphasised in the art. There was also emphasis on the eyes, otherwise known as the windows to the soul, as they were often looking upwards to heaven, or the Gods. The body was also less important, and because of this, the sculptors take less care in carving the body accurately. Sometimes, the arms and legs are too short, and the head too big.
In the fourth, and fifth century (300 and 400 CE), towards the end of the Roman Empire and era, there is less blood and gore that is featured in the art of the Romans. The interest in the soul and the tendency for disproportioned bodies continue right up to the Fall of Rome. In this time, the Romans also concentrate on the goddess Venus, who is often shown rising out of the ocean, or being reborn into a new body and a new world.
Sources:
www.google.co.uk/
www.historyforkids.org
www.visual-arts-cork.com
www.crystalinks.com
Up Next: Indian, Chinese and Japanese Art
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