Augustan and Julio-Claudian art
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Augustan and Julio-Claudian art is the artistic production that took place in the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
under the reign of
Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
and the
Julio-Claudian dynasty , native_name_lang=Latin, coat of arms=Great_Cameo_of_France-removebg.png, image_size=260px, caption= The Great Cameo of France depicting emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius and Nero, type= Ancient Roman dynasty, country= Roman Empire, estates=* ...
, lasting from 44 BC to 69 AD. At that time Roman art developed towards a serene "
neoclassicism Neoclassicism (also spelled Neo-classicism) was a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassicism was ...
", which reflected the political aims of Augustus and the
Pax Romana The Pax Romana (Latin for 'Roman peace') is a roughly 200-year-long timespan of Roman history which is periodization, identified as a period and as a golden age (metaphor), golden age of increased as well as sustained Imperial cult of ancient Rome ...
, aimed at building a solid and idealized image of the empire. The art of the age of Augustus is characterized by refinement and elegance, adapted to the sobriety and measure that Augustus had imposed on himself and his court. During the principality of Augustus, a radical urban transformation of Rome began in a monumental sense.
Suetonius Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (), commonly referred to as Suetonius ( ; c. AD 69 – after AD 122), was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is a set of biographies ...
recalls that: Still influential was the Greek sculpture from the 5th century BC, of which many works remained. This continuation of neo-Atticism influenced architecture, craftsmanship, and painting. Emblematic works of this era are the
Ara Pacis The Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin, "Altar of Augustan Peace"; commonly shortened to Ara Pacis) is an altar in Rome dedicated to Pax, the Roman goddess of Peace. The monument was commissioned by the Roman Senate on July 4, 13 BC to honour the return of ...
, the
Via Labicana Augustus The ''Via Labicana Augustus'' is a sculpture of the Roman emperor Augustus as '' Pontifex Maximus'', with his head veiled for a sacrifice. The statue is dated as having been made after 12 BCE. It was found on slopes of the Oppian Hill, in the Via ...
, and the
Augustus of Prima Porta Augustus of Prima Porta ( it, Augusto di Prima Porta) is a full-length portrait statue of Augustus, Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The marble statue stands tall and weighs . The statue was discovered on April 20, 1863, du ...
.


Evolution in the politics and iconography of Augustus

The political evolution of Augustus was promptly reflected in official art, as evidenced by the series of imperial portraits. Typical features of his portraits are the steady eyes, the straight nose, the rather hollowed face, the well-pronounced cheekbones, the thin mouth, and a lock of hair "with a pincer" on the right side of the forehead. The portrait of Octavian at the
Capitoline Museums The Capitoline Museums (Italian: ''Musei Capitolini'') are a group of art and archaeological museums in Piazza del Campidoglio, on top of the Capitoline Hill in Rome, Italy. The historic seats of the museums are Palazzo dei Conservatori and Pala ...
dates back to the period between 35 and 30 BC, when Augustus had not yet assumed the imperial titles and was still taken by the struggle for political supremacy. He has a vehement expression, but with the aura of inspiration typical of portraits of Hellenistic rulers. Conversely, the statues of
Augustus of Prima Porta Augustus of Prima Porta ( it, Augusto di Prima Porta) is a full-length portrait statue of Augustus, Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The marble statue stands tall and weighs . The statue was discovered on April 20, 1863, du ...
and of
Via Labicana Augustus The ''Via Labicana Augustus'' is a sculpture of the Roman emperor Augustus as '' Pontifex Maximus'', with his head veiled for a sacrifice. The statue is dated as having been made after 12 BCE. It was found on slopes of the Oppian Hill, in the Via ...
have a composure reminiscent of
Polykleitos Polykleitos ( grc, Πολύκλειτος) was an ancient Greek sculptor in bronze of the 5th century BCE. Alongside the Athenian sculptors Pheidias, Myron and Praxiteles, he is considered one of the most important sculptors of classical antiqu ...
and the other classical Greek sculptors. These show an expression of proud reserve, a disposition Augustus demonstrated in his ''
Res Gestae Divi Augusti ''Res Gestae Divi Augusti'' (Eng. ''The Deeds of the Divine Augustus'') is a monumental inscription composed by the first Roman emperor, Augustus, giving a first-person record of his life and accomplishments. The ''Res Gestae'' is especially sig ...
''. The official iconography of Augustus was widespread. The ''Res Gestae'' reports that about 80 statues made of silver were erected in the Empire. The portraits of the members of Augustus' family were based on the resemblance to Augustus, almost cancelling the individual features to accentuate the common features as much as possible.


Sculpture

At the time of Augustus, works of careful technical and formal perfection were produced. Artists were devoted to combining detailed realism with creativity richness. This era was defined by neo-Atticim, and was ultimately a brake on the nascent individuality of Roman art. The
Ara Pacis The Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin, "Altar of Augustan Peace"; commonly shortened to Ara Pacis) is an altar in Rome dedicated to Pax, the Roman goddess of Peace. The monument was commissioned by the Roman Senate on July 4, 13 BC to honour the return of ...
is a symbol of the Augustan era, constructed between 13 BC and 9 BC. The general Italic approach is mixed with neo-Attic reliefs and a
frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
in the style of
Pergamon Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; grc-gre, Πέργαμον), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greece, ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a ...
; all combined without precise logical relationships between architectural parts and decorations. Only the small frieze on the central altar is considered a truly local artwork. The Ara Pietatis, constructed under the reign of
Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusu ...
, is considered a more unified work. Artworks constructed under Claudius lacked warmth and color found in other eras.


Architecture

During the time of Augustus, Rome took on the appearance similar to that of the most important Hellenistic cities. Augustus oversaw the replacement of many
brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
constructions with marble. In this period, there was more experimentation with architecture, notably concerning triumphal arches, baths, amphitheaters, and mausoleums in Rome. The Arch of Augustus, for example, was the first permanent three-bayed arch ever built in Rome. It was erected by Augustus around 20 BC. In this period there were more buildings dedicated to entertainment: the Roman Theatre of Orange was founded in 40 BC, the
Theatre of Marcellus The Theatre of Marcellus ( la, Theatrum Marcelli, it, Teatro di Marcello) is an ancient open-air theatre in Rome, Italy, built in the closing years of the Roman Republic. At the theatre, locals and visitors alike were able to watch performances o ...
dates back to 11 BC, and the
Pula Arena The Pula Arena ( hr, Pulska Arena; it, Arena di Pola) is a Roman amphitheatre located in Pula, Croatia. It is the only remaining Roman amphitheatre to have four side towers entirely preserved. It was constructed between 27 BC and AD 68, Kristina ...
was built in a time between Claudius and
Titus Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death. Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...
. The influence of Roman architecture on Greece can also be seen in this era. This is evident with the
Roman Agora The Roman Agora ( el, Ρωμαϊκή Αγορά) at Athens is located to the north of the Acropolis and to the east of the Ancient Agora. History The Roman Agora was built around 100 metres east of the original agora by Eucles of Marathon b ...
at Athens, constructed in 15 BC.


Painting

In this period we see the transition from the second to the third
Pompeian Style The Pompeian Styles are four periods which are distinguished in ancient Roman mural painting. They were originally delineated and described by the German archaeologist August Mau (1840–1909) from the excavation of wall paintings at Pompeii, whi ...
. Painted within the House of Livia on the Palatine Hill in Rome, there is a classic example of a second style. The decoration of the Casa della Farnesina, attributed to the painter Studius between 30 BC and 20 BC, was mentioned by
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic '' ...
.Pliny, '' Natural history'', XXXV, 16. It is attributable to the third style. At the end of the reign of Augustus, there were detailed garden frescoes painted in the large room of the
Villa of Livia The Villa of Livia ( la, Ad Gallinas Albas) is an ancient Roman villa at Prima Porta, north of Rome, Italy, along the Via Flaminia. It may have been part of Livia Drusilla's dowry that she brought when she married Octavian (later called the empero ...
. The same painters also likely decorated the
Auditorium of Maecenas The Gardens of Maecenas, or ''Horti Maecenatis'', constituted the luxurious ancient Roman estate of Gaius Maecenas, an Augustan-era imperial advisor and patron of the arts. The property was among the first in Italy to emulate the style of Persian ...
(now largely lost without adequate photographic cataloging after the discovery). The painting of these types of gardens derives from eastern influence, with lower quality examples found in some tombs of the
Gabbari necropolis The Gabbari Necropolis is an Alexandria's City of the Dead in Lower Egypt. It is described as a site "of the utmost importance for the preservation of the cultural heritage" and one of the world's largest necropoli. The necropolis is for the dead of ...
. The most famous hall of the
Villa of the Mysteries The Villa of the Mysteries ( it, Villa dei Misteri) is a well-preserved suburban ancient Roman villa on the outskirts of Pompeii, southern Italy. It is famous for the series of exquisite frescos in Room 5, which are usually interpreted as showin ...
also likely dates back to the time of Augustus, where copies of Greek paintings and Roman insertions are mixed. The reconstructions of Pompeii after the earthquake of 62 saw new decorations, for the first time in the so-called fourth style. Also done in this style is the decorations of the
Domus Transitoria The Domus Transitoria was Roman emperor Nero's (r. 54 – 68) first palace damaged or destroyed by the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, and then extended by his Domus Aurea (or Golden House). History The palace was intended to connect all of the imp ...
and the
Domus Aurea The Domus Aurea (Latin, "Golden House") was a vast landscaped complex built by the Emperor Nero largely on the Oppian Hill in the heart of ancient Rome after the great fire in 64 AD had destroyed a large part of the city.Roth (1993) It repla ...
, linked to the names of the painter Fabullus and
Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...
himself.


Toreutics and glyptics

Roman
toreutics The term ''toreutics'', relatively rarely used in English, refers to artistic metalworking – hammering gold or silver (or other materials), engraving, or using repoussé and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs or small engraved patterns. To ...
was initiated by Greek artists such as
Pasiteles Pasiteles ( grc-gre, Πασιτέλης; sometimes called Pasiteles the Younger) was a Neo-Attic school sculptor from Ancient Rome at the time of Julius Caesar. Pasiteles is said by Pliny the Elder, Pliny to have been a native of Magna Graecia, an ...
, who also wrote several books on chasing. In the period of Augustus, this art had a remarkable technical and artistic level, demonstrated by the numerous silver pieces found in various parts of the Empire, notably the
Hildesheim Treasure The Hildesheim Treasure, unearthed on October 17, 1868 in Hildesheim, Germany, is the largest collection of Roman silver found outside imperial frontiers. Most of it can be dated to the 1st century AD. The trove consists of about seventy exquisi ...
. Many high quality artifacts of this type remain, including large cameos. After 29 BC, the
Gemma Augustea The ''Gemma Augustea'' (Latin, ''Gem of Augustus'') is an ancient Roman low-relief cameo engraved gem cut from a double-layered Arabian onyx stone. It is commonly agreed that the gem cutter who created it was either Dioscurides or one of his discip ...
was created. The
Great Cameo of France The Great Cameo of France (french: Grand Camée de France) is a five-layered sardonyx Imperial Roman cameo of either about 23 AD, or 50–54 AD. It is 31 cm by 26.5 cm. It is now in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. It is the larges ...
followed in the era of
Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
. File:Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna June 2006 031.jpg, The
Gemma Augustea The ''Gemma Augustea'' (Latin, ''Gem of Augustus'') is an ancient Roman low-relief cameo engraved gem cut from a double-layered Arabian onyx stone. It is commonly agreed that the gem cutter who created it was either Dioscurides or one of his discip ...
File:Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna June 2006 033.png, The
Gemma Claudia The ''Gemma Claudia'' is a Roman five-layered onyx cameo (carving), cameo of c. 49 AD. It later found its way into the Habsburg collections now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna (AS Inv. No. IX A 63). It is 12 cm high and set in a gold ...
File:Cameo August BM Gem3577.jpg, Cameo with the profile of Augustus File:Portland Vase BM Gem4036 n4.jpg, The
Portland Vase The Portland Vase is a Roman cameo glass vase, which is dated to between AD 1 and AD 25, though low BC dates have some scholarly support. It is the best known piece of Roman cameo glass and has served as an inspiration to many glass and porcelain ...


Provincial art

The great development from which the western provinces benefited in this period coincided with the birth and establishment of the characteristics of provincial art. The art of the
Roman provinces The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th centur ...
was based on the artistic tradition of plebeian art, which was already widespread among the Roman middle class, usually called to form the nuclei of the new colonies of veterans. Among the most evident examples is that of production in the colony of
Aquileia Aquileia / / / / ;Bilingual name of ''Aquileja – Oglej'' in: vec, Aquiłeja / ; Slovenian: ''Oglej''), group=pron is an ancient Roman city in Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about from the sea, on the river N ...
. Works that were widespread in the provinces were funeral monuments decorated with reliefs, where the client's social status, businesses and public services were highlighted (as in the Funerary Monument of Lusius Storax). The portraits in these works are almost always generic, without real individualized details. As a result, it is often useless to try to date them based on the hairstyles and styles of the clothes depicted in the art. There are two main original trends observed in provincial art: The conception of figures carved in blocks, with accentuation of mass at the edges ("cubistic" conception, which had also existed in
Etruscan art Etruscan art was produced by the Etruscan civilization in central Italy between the 10th and 1st centuries BC. From around 750 BC it was heavily influenced by Greek art, which was imported by the Etruscans, but always retained distinct character ...
and then disappeared in the Republican era); and figures with expressions of a gentler nature.


Gaul Narbonensis

Unique are the characteristics of the artistic production in
Gallia Narbonensis Gallia Narbonensis (Latin for "Gaul of Narbonne", from its chief settlement) was a Roman province located in what is now Languedoc and Provence, in Southern France. It was also known as Provincia Nostra ("Our Province"), because it was the ...
(
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (; Provençal Occitan: ''Sant Romieg de Provença'' in classical and ''Sant Roumié de Prouvènço'' in Mistralian norms) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Southern France. Loc ...
,
Carpentras Carpentras (, formerly ; Provençal Occitan: ''Carpentràs'' in classical norm or ''Carpentras'' in Mistralian norm; la, Carpentoracte) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. ...
,
Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...
). The monuments of this province, whose dating has long been discussed, present a rich style, with greater spatial freedom even than the coeval monuments of Rome, with stylistic elements (such as the outline of the figures highlighted with a carved line) which appear in Rome only from the second century. Notable constructions include the Mausoleum of the Julii, dated between 25 BC and 30 BC, and the
Triumphal Arch of Orange The Triumphal Arch of Orange (french: Arc de triomphe d'Orange) is a triumphal arch located in the town of Orange, southeast France. There is debate about when the arch was built, but current research that accepts the inscription as evidence favou ...
from 26 AD. File:Glanum-mausolee.jpg, Mausoleum of the Julii File:TrBogen Orange.jpg,
Triumphal Arch of Orange The Triumphal Arch of Orange (french: Arc de triomphe d'Orange) is a triumphal arch located in the town of Orange, southeast France. There is debate about when the arch was built, but current research that accepts the inscription as evidence favou ...
File:Orange ArcDeTriomphe Détail2 (pixinn.net).jpg, Relief on the Triumphal Arch of Orange


Notable artists

The list of notable Roman artists from the period includes: *
Ennion Ennion was one of the most prominent glassworkers of Ancient Rome, active from about 1 to 50 CE. He is famous for being the first known maker of decorated mold-blown glass, and for the exquisite quality of his work. Ennion branded his work by signi ...
, glassworker * Famulus, painter *
Quintus Pedius Quintus Pedius ( – late 43 BC) was a Roman politician and general who lived during the late Republic. He served as a military officer under Julius Caesar for most of his career. Serving with Caesar during the civil war, he was elected praetor i ...
, painter *
Proclus Proclus Lycius (; 8 February 412 – 17 April 485), called Proclus the Successor ( grc-gre, Πρόκλος ὁ Διάδοχος, ''Próklos ho Diádokhos''), was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher, one of the last major classical philosophers ...
, mosaicist * Spurius Tadius, painter


References


Further reading

*
Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli (19 February 1900 – 17 January 1975) was an Italian archaeologist and art historian. Biography Bianchi Bandinelli was born in Siena to Mario Bianchi Bandinelli (1859–1930) and Margherita Ottilie "Lily" von Korn ...
& Mario Torelli, ''L'arte dell'antichità classica, Etruria-Roma'', Utet, Torino 1976. * Pierluigi De Vecchi & Elda Cerchiari, ''I tempi dell'arte'', volume 1, Bompiani, Milano 1999


External links


Julio-Claudian Art by Joe Geranio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Augustan and Julio-Claudian art Augustus Ancient Roman art 40s BC establishments 60s disestablishments in the Roman Empire 1st-century BC establishments in the Roman Republic 1st century BC in art 1st century in art Julio-Claudian dynasty