How Did Roman Influence Greek Art

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,

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