Roman Art

9.1 The Rising Power of Rome

 The Roman Republic
Under Etruscan rule Rome grew to become
the biggest city in Italy.

Romans were unhappy and drove the

Etruscans from their city and established a
republic but did not end their problems.

They found themselves surrounded by

enemies but managed to defend itself and
gain control of Italy.
The Roman Republic
 The Greek Influence
Much of Roman art was copied from the
Greeks.
Romans had great admiration towards
Greek art.
Romans imported Greek art and Roman
artists went to Greece to study with Greek
artists to learn their style and techniques.
Although they borrowed a lot of Greek style
they also made important contributions of
their own especially in architecture.
Roman Sculpture and Painting
Reflects techniques and styles used in Greek
sculpture and painting.
A desire for life-like portraits
At one time wax masks were made of deceased
family members to be carried during the funeral
and for a shrine in the home.
Wax was temporary and soon marble and other
stone was used because it was longer lasting.
Artists who could carve life-like portraits were
in great demand at the time.
 Differences between Roman and
Greek Sculpture
GREEK SCULPTURE
Preferred idealistic portraits
Designed for public
monuments
Usually sculpted the entire
body
Considered a sculpture of a
head or bust incomplete
ROMAN SCULPTURE
Preferred realistic portraits
Designed for private needs
Wanted their sculpture to
remind people of specific
individuals
Natural and Life-like
Show personal character with
facial features and expression
Often just sculpted the head
and not the whole body
Bust of Cato and Portia
c.Late 1st Century
Marble

Double Portrait Bust

Bust =sculpture from
the torso up
Creates the feeling
you are looking at a
real person
Shows wrinkles and
imperfections
Expressions show
character
 Mural Painting
Wealthy Romans lived in lavish
homes.
They did not like hanging
artworks on the walls so instead
artists painted murals.
Murals = large picture painted
directly on the wall
Artists tried to reproduce the
world around them as accurate
as possible.
The scene often created the
impression of looking out aTour a Roman Villa
window. http://www.villa-rustica.de/tour/toure.html
 Pompeii
Not all Roman paintings are noteworthy
This is evident in the many paintings found in
houses in Pompeii
Pompeii was a city that was covered in ash
when the volcano Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79
When the remains were found archeologist
discovered that almost of their homes were
decorated with murals.
 Roman Architecture
Few examples of Roman painting and
sculpture remain but examples of
architecture and survived.

Designed and constructed city services

such as aqueducts, sewer systems, and
public buildings for business and leisure.

Romans were excellent planners and

engineers.
 The Temples
Many early Roman temples resemble Greek
architecture.

Romans used features that fit their

purposes.

Whereas Greeks used columns for support

purposes Romans used them for decoration.
 Maison Carree
Nimes, France
Greek influence can be
seen in this Roman
temple that was built in
France.
From first glance it looks
like a Greek temple but a
closer look reveals that
the columns do not
surround the entire
building.
Half columns are
attached to the wall to
create a decorative
pattern.
 Temple Design
The design of this
Roman structure, which
has been standing over
2000 years,
demonstrates how the
use of the following
techniques creates
stability and strength
even in large buildings.
Barrel Vault = a series of
round arches from front
to back that form a
tunnel.
 Innovations in Structure and
Materials
The round arch improved
the post and lintel system
that the Greeks used.
It allowed them to span a
large area
Keystone = top stone of an
arch
With the arch and concrete
Romans could not build
large scale architecture.
Spread of Roman Architecture
Where ever the
Roman army
traveled, they
spread their
knowledge of the
arch and concrete
building techniques.
This bridge in Spain,
was built by the Roman Bridge, Alcantara, Spain
Romans nearly 2,
000 years ago and
is still used today.
 Roman Acquaducts
Aqueduct = a system that
carries water from
mountain streams into
cities by using gravitational
flow.
The series of arches
supports each other and
keeps the structure
standing.
11 aqueducts can be found
in and around Rome,
ranging in length from
10-60 miles, and carried
nearly 270 million gallons
of water in to the city each
day!
 Vocab and Quiz Review
Mural = large painted picture directly on
the wall
Keystone = top stone of an arch
Barrel Vault = a series of round arches
from front to back that form a tunnel.
Aqueduct = a system that carries water
from mountain streams into cities by
using gravitational flow.