5 World Conquerors: Romans, Buddhists, Jews and Christians, first to fourth century AD Flashcards
Most artists working in Rome were ___________, and most art was modelled on that of the ___________ masters
Most artists working in Rome were Greek, and most art was modelled on that of the Greek masters
The most outstanding achievement of the Romans was in ____________________?
Civil engineering
How are the Greek styles of building used in the Colosseum?
Ground floor –Doric, second storey –Ionic, third floor –Corinthian half-columns
Major innovation of Roman architecture, compared to Greek?
The use of arches
Apogee of Roman use of arches and vaulting?
The Pantheon
When was the Pantheon constructed, and what was it originally?
AD 130, temple of all gods
What is different about Roman portraiture, relative to Greek?
It is more lifelike, and even uncomplimentary, than anything in Greek art
How did Hellenistic and Roman art influence that of the Oriental kingdoms in years after Christ? Give three examples
Completely displaced it.
1 Egyptians still mummified the dead, but added naturalistic portraits in the Greek style.
2 Gandhara region (now around Peshawar in northern Pakistan), story of the Buddha was told in sculptural relief much like Roman stories of war conquest (e.g., Trajan’s column in Rome). Portraits of Buddha show Hellenistic influence.
How does early Christian art show a shift of interest, when compared with pagan representation?
Art becomes less focused on realism and beauty, and more on symbolic display. Also idolatry was forbidden in Christianity, so the less realistic a work of art was, the less it could be considered idolatrous.
When was Constantinople founded and why?
May 11, 330 AD.
Emperor Constantine saw need for new imperial capital that would serve as the centre of the Roman Empire and better secure its borders. Chose site of ancient Greek city Byzantium, located on the Bosporus strait between Europe and Asia.
Identify, date, describe
The Colosseum, Rome, 80AD
Screen of Greek forms in front of arches.
Ground floor –Doric, second storey –Ionic, third floor –Corinthian half-columns.
Adoption of ancient forms is very similar to what was done to legitimise architecture after Renaissance.
Identify, date, describe
Triumphal Arch of Tiberius, Orange, France, 27AD
These arches set up all over empire –including North Africa and Asia.
Arches most important feature of Roman architecture (playing little or no part in Greek buildings).
Identify, date, describe
Pantheon, 130AD
Temple of all gods
Only temple of classical antiquity that has always remained place of worship –thus ensuring its safety.
Pantheon’s dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.
What is the origin of Roman portraiture?
In early religion of Romans, wax images of ancestors were carried in funeral processions.
Related to Egyptian belief that likeness preserves the soul.
Every Roman had to burn incense in front of bust of ________ in token of allegiance.
Every Roman had to burn incense in front of bust of emperor in token of allegiance.
Identify, date, describe
Emperor Vespasian, c70AD
Veristic style – realistic and without flattery,typical of Roman imperial portrait busts.
Emperor from AD 69 to 79, founder of the Flavian dynasty which succeeded the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Started building Colosseum.
Identify, date, describe
Trajan’s column, Rome, 114AD
Depicts war against Dacians (modern Romania).
Veristic style.
Few scenes of battle, perhaps to portray Roman army as gentle.
Scene of Dacian women torturing Romans.
Set a precedent for victory columns (Marcus Aurelius; Vendome column)
Statue of St Peter placed on top in 1587.
Identify, date, describe
Portrait of a man, c100AD, Egypt
Found with mummified remains.
Shows influence of Hellenistic art on other kingdoms in centuries after Christ.
Egyptians had likenesses painted in Greek rather than Egyptian style.
What is verism?
Verism was a realistic “warts and all” style in Roman art, around 100BC to 100 AD.
Mainly in portraiture of politicians, whose imperfections of the face were exacerbated in order to highlight their old age and gravitas.
Included pseudo-athlete sculptures –with veristic head, and idealised Greek body.
What style is this?
Verism
Pseudo-athlete sculpture –veristic head on Greek body.
Identify, date, desribe
Gautama Buddha leaving his home, 2nd century AD
Found in Ghandara.
Depicts Buddha legend of The Great Renunciation –Prince Gautama leaves palace to become hermit. Gods muffle sounds of horses hooves so he can escape.
Greco-Buddhist art, a result of Alexander’s conquests and previous forced relocations of Greeks in Persian territory to the Gandhara region.
Identify, date, describe
Head of the Buddha, 4th-5th century.
Influence of Greek and Roman art –which had taught people to visualise gods and heroes in beautiful form.
Distinctive facial features of Buddha – elongated earlobes, a mark (urna) between the eyebrows, and a topknot or protuberance (ushnisha) on the head.
Before the influence of Greek art following conquest of Alexander in 4th century BC, how was Buddha depicted?
Buddha was often represented by symbols like the footprints, the Bodhi tree, or an empty throne.
Identify, date, describe
Moses striking water from the rock, 250AD, wall painting, Dura-Europos Synagogue, Syria
Moses before holy tabernacle, rivulets of water flowing to 12 tribes.
Primitive, flat style is significant and possibly deliberate –because realism could be seen as more idolatrous.
Identify, date, describe
Christ with St Peter and Paul, Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (urban prefect of Rome), 359AD
Christ depicted as Roman emperor –as lawgiver.
Early Christian art reveals two competing conceptions of Christ –youthful and beardless Christ based on representation of Apollo, or long-haired and bearded Christ, based on representations of Jupiter or Zeus.
Formulas for Peter – represented with a bowl haircut and a short cropped beard, and Paul –with a pointed beard and usually a high forehead.
Image of christ crucified had not yet entered the iconography.
In heaven –represented being held up by pagan god of sky Coelus.
Squat bodies and big heads typical of Roman art of 4th century.
Other half of sarcophagus depicts pagan gods.
https://smarthistory.org/sarcophagus-of-junius-bassus/
What is typology in Christianity?
Idea of patterns and people in the Old Testament who were created to serve as pre-figured shapes of what Christ would do in New Testament.
What were the two competing representations of Christ in early Roman Christian art?
Youthful and beardless based on Apollo, or long-haired and bearded, based on Jupiter or Zeus.
Identify, date, describe
The three men in the fiery furnace, 3rd century AD
Book of Daniel –3 Jewish officials Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship golden image of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. Thrown into fiery furnace, but Lord saved from flames.
Artists familiar with methods of Hellenistic painting –able to use few brush strokes to create human figure.
Not interested in beauty of image –main purpose to remind of God’s power.
Identify, date, describe
Portrait of official from Aphrodisias, c400AD
Period of decline of Roman Empire –artists not interested in, or capable of, refinement and harmony.
