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How Did Roman Influence Greek Art

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Guided Art Tour: Greek Influence on Roman Art

Kritios Boy, Early Classical Period, c. 485-480 B.C.E, Parian Marble, 1.17 m, Athens, Greece. Expressing the beauty of the human body by means of sculpture had been an important concept for the ancient Greek culture; in which later would be of great importance to the ancient Romans, especially under the rule of Emperor Augustus. An example of a Greek sculpture that expresses much beauty and sophistication would be the Kritios boy, which exhibits the transition between the archaic period of Greek art to the realistic period of Greek art. It is believed that the defeat of the Persians after the battle of Marathon provided the confidence for the Greeks to pursue a realistic approach towards sculpture, …show more content…

The ancient Roman Empire, which had survived for a millennium, was a culture highly vested in politics and power. The ancient Greeks had developed a naturalistic style in sculpture, and that style had been later put to use by the ancient Romans as a vehicle for propaganda, as well as for a glorious representation of the Elite in power. The Augustus of Primaporta statue is a fine example of art as a means of influence and power. As seen in the image, Augustus is portrayed as beautiful, as his youth is preserved within the statue (inspired by the Greeks), and he is displayed with a posture of victory. According to legend, Augustus is a decedent of Julius Caesar, who stated that he is a descendent of the Goddess Venus. It is clear that Augustus wanted to display his claimed lineage by how Cupid (the son of Venus) is tugging at the robe. Although it is not clear to see, there is a dolphin behind the right leg of the statue, which further confirms Augustus’s divine origins, as well as symbolism for the victory over Mark Anthony and Cleopatra. The breastplate of Augustus also illustrates the sun and sky dieties, along with Apollo and Diana, who favor Augustus as a righteous ruler. Augustus is portrayed as God-like by how the statue’s right arm is pointing upwards and the right leg is coming forward as if to declare glory. The Emperor Augustus had strived to spread the message of his intention to bring back the “golden age” of Greece, in which there would be prosperity and peace for all. The statue had been carved by marble, and had been discovered within his wife’s villa in Primaporta. There is speculation that this specimen may have been a duplicate of an original bronze statue, and since Augustus was a powerful public figure, there may have been many more made in his

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In The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus, Paul Zanker argues that images were a central tool in the construction of cultural identity and political power during the reign of Augustus. Through his analysis of the use of myth and legend in Augustus's cultural propaganda, Zanker demonstrates how Augustus employed images to create a sense of cultural continuity with the past while simultaneously promoting a new vision of Rome based on his own accomplishments as a ruler. Zanker's analysis sheds light on the profound impact of Augustus's propaganda campaign on Roman art and architecture and highlights the critical role of the image of the emperor in Augustan political culture. Zanker's main argument is that images played a central role in the

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Political figures in art has always been an important part of our history, culture and artistic representation, Roman and Byzantine art is a classic case of these representations. The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius and Justinian as World Conqueror are two examples that demonstrate the power and prestige of these political authorities. First, Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius from the Roman, Italy (173-176 CE) measures 11’6” high, cast in bronze. Secondly, Justinian as World conqueror from Byzantium period measures 13” x 11” entire panel, center panel 7” x 5” and 1” deep. The creator of the equestrian statue is unknown, however, the creator of Justinian’s ivory relief was probably made by the imperial work of Constantinople.

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Augustus himself wanted to emphasise the period of his support of the state as Rome’s “Golden Age”. Through an extensive building program, the architectural use of space conveyed powerful elements of Augustan ideology that linked Augustus to great figures of Rome’s history and to the concepts of fate and posterity. A pertinent example is the Forum Augustum where the central monument was a statue of Augustus as pater patria (father of his country) looked upon by statues of legendary Romans including Romulus, Aeneas and Iulius (the reputed ancestor of the Julii), and facing the temple of Mars Ultor (Mars the Avenger), which contained the figures of Venus (the deity from which Augustus and the Julii claimed descent), Mars, and Roma. The symbolism

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The upper part is a narrative relief, and it depected the celebration of the Ara Pacis Augustae’s establishment. The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius is an ancient Roman statue in the Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy. It was built around the 175 CE. The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius

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According to Getty.edu, the art piece was named after Lord Lansdowne, a British noble who displayed the statue in his estate in London. The origins of the statue are unknown but speculated to be a Roman copy made from the famous school of Polykleitos. Workshops during ancient times tasked aspiring students with the menial labor of creating backgrounds and most of the form of sculptures; the masters finishing them up with the fine details such as the face and especially hands. Many Romans were quite fond of Greek culture and art, emulating and duplicating them on numerous occasions.

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It is the sculpture of a handsome and young ruler, namely, Augustus, sporting an ornamented cuirass and a tunic, with the figure of Cupid riding a dolphin on his side. The face reflects a youthful emperor, even though Augustus was about forty years of age when the statue was built. The Prima Porta style of facial composition comprises of, an expansive skull and slim chin, sharp-ridged eyebrows, hooked nose and a plump mouth and his hair is crowned with what is termed the Primaporta hairstyle. The breastplate is adorned with characters and is a composite of the narration of the Augustan and Tiberian propaganda, while he is barefoot. His right hand is

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Bust of Marcus Aurelius 161-180 AD made of marble. Capitoline Brutus, 300 BCE made of bronze. The theme shared is Imperial theme Heroism. Both art works honor important Roman people, from different social backgrounds, who were honored for their bravery. Bust of Marcus Aurelius gives off a graceful appearance while the eyes show vigor.

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The perfection and the beauty of the statue of Augustus Of Primaporta (6’8”) around the Early Empire reflects the wise, balanced and delicate combination of artistic Greek aspects and the idealization of the Roman portraiture. Augustus of Primaporta bares the naked feet of a deified emperor, mythological motifs and its antecedent, Polyclitus along with proper artistic Roman elements –the cuirass, the historical scenes of diplomatic victory and Augustus’ accomplishments.. This sculpture, that was originally a bronze statues, is an example of propaganda that combined not only their authority directly to the public but it also powerful traditional stories and styles. The stance was adopted by the pose of Aulus Metellus with incorporating contrapasso,

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Ancient Rome left tremendous legacies such as technological advancements, religious beliefs and governmental structures that shaped the world today. The Romans conquered many territories and took on their cultures as well, in particular the Ancient Greek culture. Ancient Greek civilizations played a major role in the history and development of the Ancient Rome civilization. The Ancient Greeks influenced the social structure, religion and military strength of Ancient Rome.

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The relief sculpture was intended to link Augustus and his rule to the achievements of Athens under Pericles by mimicking the style of the processional frieze on the Greek Parthenon. The alter and screen wall are modeled after the Greek altar of Mercy in Athens. The Ara Pacis depicts Augustus’ great achievements beginning with the defeat of Mark Anthony and the Egyptians at Actium ending

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A civilization’s architecture not only shows the artistic skills of its designers and builders but also the functionality of its engineers, the power of its government, and the inventiveness of its people. Architecture was a crucial element to the success of two major cites in Europe, Rome and Athens. Each city had structures consisting of formal architecture like temples and basilicas showing the influence that its leaders had over each city, while utilitarian buildings like bridges and aqueducts helped build communication between distant cities throughout each empire. Though architecture as a whole was an important role in unifying the cities, the architecture design within each illustrates the similarities and differences between two.

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Uncontrolled emotionalism and shameful truth were now common characteristics to most of them. Still throughout the hellenistic, many sculptures were distinguished by their calmness, grace, and compassion for human suffering. The Ancient Greek sculptures were commonly made from stone or wood and very few of them are still existing to this day. Many were made to reflect the image of a freestanding human form even when the statue was of a god, and for this reason many of the sculptures were naked, the Greeks saw nudity as something beautiful. Other of the sculptures showed athletic figures, to essentially portray what the Greeks perceived as an ideal human and what it should look

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