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Survey of Western Art I - Final Exam Review
THE ROMANS
Overview:
- Ancient Rome:
Founded by Romulus on April 21, 753 BC on the Palatine Hill
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Rule of a single gov’t over a vast territory (multicultural –
races, languages, languages)
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Bridge between Ancient World and Medieval West
o
Politics / Art / Religion
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Art & Architecture: Revolutionized the Western World
o
Painting – Use of linear & atmospheric perspective
o
Engineering – highways, aqueducts, architecture, etc
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Propaganda – esp to show achievements of emperors
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Concrete
Construction – revolutionized architecture
§
Barrel vault or tunnel vault / groin vault or cross
vault
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Hemispherical dome
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Trade & Commerce – sea routes & highways
Terms to Note:
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Barrel vault
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Groin vault
o
Hemispherical dome
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Buttressing
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Attic
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Tetrapylon
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Coffers
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Spandrels
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Porphyry
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Tetrarchy
Timeline:
*note artworks in italics
- Monarchy
(753 –509 BC)
- Republic
(509 – 27 BC)
- Constitutional gov’t
established with Senate – council of elders.
- Importance of
lineage
-
Portrait busts of Roman
patricians - hyper-realism
- Bluntly honest
record of individual’s features
- Statement about
his personality: serious, determined, experienced (admired
virtues)
- Record of
lineage
- Sometimes a dictator
also appointed.
- 44 BC: Murder of
Julius Caesar – Roman world in civil war.
- 30 BC: Egypt becomes
a province of Rome
- Early Empire
(27 BC – 96 AD: begins with rule of Augustus!)
- Same gov’t BUT with
an Emperor
- Augustus (r. 27 BC –
14 AD)
-
Pax Romana:
Peace for two centuries / public works & building programs
- Effort to mold
public opinion (propaganda)
- Look to ancient
Greeks
-
Ara Pacis / Altar of
Augustan Peace
-
Portrait of Augustus
-
Portrait of Livia
-
Bust of a Flavian Woman
-
Maison Carrée
- Tiberius (r. 14 – 37
AD)
- Caligula (r. 37 – 41
AD)
- Claudius (r. 41 – 54
AD)
- Nero (r. 54 – 68 AD)
- Vespasian (r. 69 –
79 AD)
-
The Colosseum
(Flavian ampitheatre)
- High Empire
(96 AD – 192 AD)
- Empire at its peak –
greatest geographic extent.
- Prosperity
- Unchallenged in the
West
- Trajan (r. 98 – 117
AD)
-
Baths of Trajan
-
Column of Trajan
-
Arch of Trajan
- Hadrian (r. 117 –
138 AD)
-
Hadrian’s Villa
- Tivoli
-
The Pantheon (118 – 125
AD)
-
Hadrian’s Mausoleum
- Marcus Aurelius (r.
161 – 180 AD)
- Power begins to
erode
- Difficult to
rule over such vast territory for extended time.
-
Equestrian bronze of
Marcus Aurelius
- Commodus (r. 180 –
192 AD)
- Late Empire
( 192 – 337 AD) Civilization in transition!
- Economic decline
- Imperial bureaucracy
disintegrating
- Diverse population
- Official state
religion losing ground to Eastern cults
- Esp.
Christianity – gaining converts
- Jewish &
Christian art rejects the polytheism of pagan Rome
- Bible: 2nd
commandment prohibits worshipping of idols
- Tetrarchs: The
soldier emperors of the 3rd century
- Establishment of
co-rulers to oversee vast territory
- Three capitals
-
Portraits of Tetrarchs
- Caracalla (r. 211 –
217 AD)
-
Portrait of Caracalla
– in the Met
- Diocletian (r. 284 –
305 AD): Persecuted Christians
- Constantine I
(r. 306 – 337 AD)
- 1st
Christian Emperor
- Bridges Ancient
Pagan World AND Christian Middle Ages
- Uses art to
manipulate message – propaganda
- Relates himself
with most revered emperors
- Official art
begins to glorify the Church
-
Arch of Constantine
-
Basilica of Constantine
-
Colossal portrait statue
- Dual roles:
- Roman &
Christian
- Emperor &
soldier
- Classical &
medieval
- 312 AD: Battle
of the Milvian Bridge - attributes victory to Christian God.
- 313 AD: Edict of
Milan ends persecution of Christians
- 324 AD:
Constantine now ruler of entire Roman Empire
- Founds “New
Rome”- his capital “Constantinople”
- 325 Council of
Nicaea: Christianity official religion of the empire
- Churches erected
in Constantinople
Transition from classical to medieval worlds!
LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY CHRISTIAN