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The Colosseum Analysis

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Ideal is a term we all use in many capacities - ideal body, ideal job, ideal life. The word itself is meant to describe the satisfaction of what one thinks is perfect, i.e. the most suitable. Ancient Greek and Roman art possess idealisms that allow us to imagine the experience of life during their times. This is done in more ways than one. In contrast to the imperfect states of realism, idealism is the expression of the visual aspects we see, but also can be extended into the contexts of the work’s time period - what was occurring in the area at that time, how it was built, the societal atmosphere, etc. Through analyzation of artwork in such a way, the piece can develop a deeper meaning to the viewer and even pass the stories of the creator …show more content…

The project was so important that the Romans invented their own recipe for concrete that required individual forms to be made for each varying piece of the building, in order to maximize the building’s durability. The structure was built on a very grand scale as the architects’ intentions may have been to represent their dominance through a building that could be seen above all others in the surrounding area. The current attitude of the militaristic and gods-fearing society of the Romans in that time period was one of power. This building portrays the arch style that is so commonly seen in Roman art, questionably their greatest contribution to art. They used the arches all around the exterior of the arena to hold up great weights and exhibit the power that their city held. They were a strong society and showed that within their designs. Along with the arches, variations of column orders can be seen in this structure. The Romans adopted these orders from Greek art. The most prevalent column order in Roman art is the Corinthian, which is quite ornate with intricate detail from top to bottom. The purpose of using that style is to display the elegance of the …show more content…

Greek art, on the other hand, had a more modest style. The column styles discussed earlier originated in ancient Greece. The three orders each display the beauty that the Greeks found in art and in life. They were strong, like the city, and able to support the larger top pieces. These elements can clearly be seen in The Parthenon in Athens. The Parthenon was constructed between 447 and 438 BCE, overseen by Iktinos, Kallikrates and Phidias. The main purpose was to shelter the magnificent statue of Athena in her honor. Athena’s statue was of ivory and gold - two precious elements that weren’t used everyday. The dedication the Greeks put into this project exemplifies their devotion to Athena; they viewed her as the ideal goddess. Greek architects appreciated proportionality and thus decided on a 9:4 ratio for the building. The ratio of the distance between columns to each column diameter is 9:4. The ratio of the length of the temple to its width is 9:4 and the ratio of the width of the front of the temple to its height is 9:4. All parts of this building were planned exactly, nothing was overlooked. Perfection had to be achieved for this to be worthy of

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The most specific features of this building are the columns. One of the first people to use columns, the Greeks used such distinct features on their monuments, such as the Parthenon. Yet another celebrated art form is perhaps one of the most famous pieces of ancient Greek art. Myron’s marble sculpture of The Discus Thrower, represents the Olympic events and also demonstrates many of the Greek morals. (Document 8)

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It cost less money, since there was less building materials work with, it looks better, it represented power and prestige, it is very strong and can hold a lot of weight, and it creates more space like when it is used to make a dome. This was done when the Romans arranged several arches in a way to create a half circle to put on top of a circular wall, acting like a

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Many American architects in the 18th and 19th centuries looked to classical Roman architecture as a source of inspiration for their own designs. The White House and U.S. Capitol share similar architectural styles to that of Roman buildings like the Coliseum which has been standing for nearly 2000 years, and the Pantheon. “More recently, many official buildings built in the US are very strongly influenced by Roman architecture. The most obvious is the White House, which displays Roman influences in the arches and columns on the exterior” The Romans were skilled engineers and builders. They used advanced construction techniques such as arches, domes, and vaults to distribute weight and stress evenly throughout a building, which helped to prevent collapse.

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The ancient Greek mathematician Euclid influenced mathematics in a large way after developing the Pythagorean theorem. His theorem (written around 300 B.C.) says that “If two straight lines cut one another, the vertical, or opposite, angles shall be the same” (Doc. 5). Euclid wrote this theorem to set a rule to help find the sum of the angles of a triangle. In Western civilizations, The Pythagorean theorem is still used today and helped advance mathematics. The ancient Greeks built the Parthenon in Athens greece, a Greek temple with columns built in the front it.

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The two concepts, idealism and realism merge together to form the concept of idealistic-realism. Idealism in art, is the poetization and spirituatualzation of a theme, belief and ethos, realism on the other hand is the act of recreating any scene, object or action in the form art. The concept of idealism at a deeper glance is the comprehension of the idea or ideal created by the artist, and was the foundation of all great Greek and Renaissance art. Augustus of Prime Porta is a great example of the peaceful co-existence of idealism and realism, since the sculpture is ideal and conceptual in its composition and realistic in its execution. The marble statue of Augustus at Prima Porta was discovered in the villa of Livia in Prima Porta and was constructed to celebrate the Roman triumph over the Parthians in 20 B.C.

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552 Words | 3 Pages

“Classical Ideal” In the documentary, “Art of the Western World-The Classical Ideal”, the narrator provides a history and a perspective on the Greek and Roman creation of the “Classical Ideal” to art and architecture. The narrator infers that the foundation of the two societies, namely their democratic falsifies and religious foundations, along with their focus on fitness, personal strength, calculations and intelligence, drove Greece and later Rome, to perfect their visions of balance, symmetry and beauty in their architecture and art. Greece and Rome are often held out as the greatest societies to have ever existed.

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The ultimate purpose of the art object until the Hellenistic period is to be a figure of human perfection and the Ideal, most commonly in the form of a ruler or a deity via body politics. Anatomy and physiology of the statue or relief is often used to further the pancultural concepts of the Ideal as opposed to the physical representation of a specific, imperfect person. The conept itself speaks volumes about the culture from which it originates, and what that culture valued most of its people and of their lives. However, as the centuries thundered by and civilizations rose and fell, there is a clear shift in the artist’s attitude towards his or her art, and the artist begins to wean away from an aesthetic realm of perfection to the portrayal of a specific

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The Parthenon building consists of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns. These orders are distinguished by their capitals at the top of the column. They are either short and thick, as in the case of the Doric column or tall and slimmer, as in the case of the Iconic columns, the dimensions of either of which is indicative of strength and or power. According to Ricard (2010), “Doric is not only a type of column, but an "order"; this means that temples of the Doric order not only have this type of column, but also have a certain structure at the upper levels”.

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Once Vespasian became emperor, the Flavian Empire had to do something better. To condemn Nero’s memory, Vespasian wanted to build something more magnificent. The main parts of the Golden House were destroyed and Nero’s lake was drained to build the Flavian Amphitheater, also known as the Colosseum. Similarly to the Domus Aurea, the Colosseum stands as a spectacular monument of the Roman Empire with remarkable architecture and engineering. But, traces of the Domus Aurea could still be seen.

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The Forum of Trajan is a Roman example of axial planning because as you entered through its triumphal arch towards a statue of Trajan in the center, the surrounding structures were at opposite angles and lines, creating a clear sense of order and focus. [12] The complexity of this planning demonstrates the outlook and organization that went into any of the architecture in Rome and Athens. [13] While many citizens at the time did not appreciate (or may have not noticed) this visual architectural connection between Rome and Athens, the members of the elite who traveled, did especially the Roman Emperor Augustus. The cities of Rome and Athens became increasingly similar during the Augustan period and created a hybrid style that was influenced by Augustus. Though the exchange in architectural culture between these two cities was common there were subtle difference.

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These two styles unite to represent Greek humanism through art. Architecture was built on the scale of Man, in an effort to complement humans, rather than dwarf them. Additionally, the columns themselves symbolized Man, in the idea that each plays a part in supporting the structure. Even the style of the columns suggested humanism, with a masculine and feminine style; Doric columns were sturdy, characterized by simple, undecorated tops, and therefore the “masculine” style. Ionic columns, in contrast, were thin and elegant, with decorated capitals, and therefore the “feminine” style.

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Similarly, the Parthenon and Pantheon were high rising buildings which are typical of a classical

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As a start, the building types are many as the private houses, baths, as well as temples and theatres and these are our points; Firstly in temples, Greeks’ structures were invented to be the home of gods called Parthenon having an obsolete religion. As inside these sanctuaries they didn’t have spots of meeting, but obeying the penances and aimed to custom an individual god in them. These temples anyways were sometimes used to be storage of votive offerings. Subsequently, they are very unique in there style and very essential modeling construction. For examples, the palace of Knossos, and Athens acropolis.

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707 Words | 3 Pages

The Parthenon in Athens and the Pantheon in Rome depict the splendor of these two cultures. Starting with the Parthenon, it was completely constructed in 432 B.C.E by the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates to honor the Athen’s patron deity, Athena, and to house her statue. It is rectangular and consisted of a series of Doric columns. However, it is a mixture of the Doric and Ionic orders. The Pentelic marble, bronze, gold, and ivory are the basic media used in this construction.

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1639 Words | 7 Pages

The bath houses used arches, domes and vaults to make them both aesthetically beautiful and to work as functional spaces. The Romans also made spectacular private homes for those who could afford them, and designed and built innovative apartment type buildings for those who couldn’t afford a private residence. As with the Greeks, the Temples of Rome were a great architectural achievement. These temples are a significant source of their architectural history and still today are some of the most visible remains from their culture. Unlike the Greeks who believed in having an equal emphasis in their design on all sides of their temples, the Romans put the emphasis on the front of their buildings.

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