for this assessment, we need to look at the myth of venus and art during the roman empire (focusing...
TRANSCRIPT
Roman Art
For this assessment, we need to look at the
myth of Venus and art during the Roman Empire (focusing during the Imperial period).
Firstly, we need to answer three key questions about Roman art: How do we know about Roman Art? What do we know about Roman Art? Why did the Romans have art?
Introduction
How do you think we know so much about
Roman Art? …
Pompeii…
How do we know…
Pompeii was a Roman ‘holiday’ town, where
the wealthy retreated for luxury by the sea. In 79CE Mount Vesuvius erupted; the eruption,
and the ash that fell, buried Pompeii. The burial preserved the architecture and lives
of the people that lived there. Centuries later when the site was excavated the buildings, the art, the bodies and even the food were found to have left imprints in the ash that allowed us to see and learn about this Roman way of life.
Pompeii
Pompeian Art
What kinds of art did the Romans have?
Statues Paintings Mosaics
What do we know…
Why did the Romans have art?
Think about: why do we have art today?
Decoration, Money, Fame, Job, Inspiration, Expression…
The Romans were not too dissimilar; two key reasons for the Romans producing art as they did were:
Wealth and Culture
Why…
Art and culture you have already looked over –
the Emperor Augustus’ revival of religion, morals and values in Rome brought with it a revival in art.
Temples and statues to honour the gods, as well as home decorations depicting the gods and heroes, as well as legends that all resonated with the Romans.
Culture
What wealth would the Romans have
wanted/sought/shown by creating art? Would different types of art have different
values?
Wealth
Art was a fantastic way for Romans to display their wealth to others, and gain respect and status. It was also, of course, a way of decorating and displaying luxuries for their own delight.Statues, busts, floor mosaics and wall paintings were all ways for Roman families to make an impression on guests – “yes”, the art might say, “I belong to and have been created by wealthy patrons; gaze upon my amazingness and marvel at the grandeur of my owners”.Statues were also created as a way of honour – whether honouring ones family or the gods themselves (hence why we have many statues of Venus to look at).
Wealth and Status
As you would have picked up from your study
of The Aeneid, the importance of Venus to Roman society was such that she was, essentially, the mother of Rome and ancestor of Rome’s great leader, Augustus.
Read the worksheet ‘Venus, Mother of Rome’ to explore the roles she took in the ancient Empire.
Venus, Mother of Rome
Designed by Hadrian Began construction in
AD 121 Probably dedicated in
AD 135 Possibly completed
by Antoninus Pius
Temple of Venus and Roma
The sculptural type of Venus
Genetrix shows the Roman goddess Venus in her aspect of Genetrix (mother), as she was honoured by the Julio-Claudian dynasty of Rome, who followed the precedent of Julius Caesar in claiming her as their ancestor. Through this historical chance, a Roman designation is applied to an iconological type of Aphrodite that originated among the Greeks.
Venus Genetrix
Capitoline Venus, replica version of the
Aphrodite of Cnidus by Praxiteles. Roman artwork of the
Imperial Era, 2th century AD. Marble. Figured amongst the Borghese Collection.
Location: Louvre An example of a "pudica" pose where a hand
is used to cover her private parts. A so called Venus Pudica,
from Pudens (being modest or ashamed) .
Capitoline Venus
Look at the following images of Venus.
For each one, think about: How is she portrayed?
What might be the meaning of this? What symbols or other images are used?
What overall meaning would be intended from the image?
Other thoughts..?
Venus in Art
Aphrodite Anadyomene, Pompeii, pre-79AD
Crouching Venus with Cupid, Roman copy of Hellenistic Original, 3rd C. BCE
Venus Genetrix, Forum Julii, end of 1st C. BCE – start of 1st C. CE (modern resoration)
Capitoline Venus, 2nd C. CE