Roman Sculpture: Realism, Narrative & Power in Stone
ROMAN SCULPTURE
General Features
- The Romans extensively copied Greek works, resulting in similar sculptural techniques. Greek influence on Roman sculpture is undeniable.
- However, Romans were practical. Roman sculpture distinguishes itself from Greek art through its emphasis on realism. This practicality led them to create sculptures where people and objects were easily recognizable, striving for an accurate reproduction of visible reality.
- Another defining characteristic is the Roman taste for narrative and the celebration of eternal glory or historical events. This is particularly evident in their reliefs, where episodes are often depicted in meticulous detail, bordering on the anecdotal.
- Two parallel streams exist within Roman sculpture:
- A popular and realistic style.
- A more aristocratic and elitist style, remaining faithful to Greek idealism.
- Roman sculpture developed unique features across various genres:
- Religious Sculpture
- Portraiture
- Historical Reliefs
- Sarcophagi
THE PORTRAIT
Roman realism is most evident in their portraiture, where individual likeness and character are paramount. This focus on realism stemmed from:
- The Etruscan tradition of funerary portraits.
- The Roman custom of preserving wax masks of ancestors, cast directly from the deceased.
- Roman practicality, leading to the creation of reliable, non-idealized portraits.
- The desire to be remembered realistically, preserving physical and psychological features for posterity.
Roman portraiture evolved through several stages:
A. The Republic
Realism in portraiture was most pronounced during this period.
Example:
Bust of Lucius Junius Brutus (Bust: upper body). This bronze portrait features inlaid ivory eyes, accentuating its realism. It even attempts to convey the subject’s character.
B. High Empire
Portraits of emperors were idealized, often deified. They were depicted in heroic poses, adorned with divine symbols, and their bodies were idealized. However, facial features remained relatively lifelike and recognizable.
Examples:
- Statue of Augustus of Prima Porta – Augustus is depicted in military attire, addressing his troops. The small Cupid at his feet alludes to his divine status. While the pose is heroic and idealized, his facial features remain recognizable.
- Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius – This bronze equestrian portrait (on horseback) is the oldest surviving example and served as a model for later equestrian statues, particularly during the Renaissance. It’s a heroic portrait, depicting the emperor in a victorious pose, intended for public display to glorify him.
C. Lower Empire
This period of decline within the Roman Empire witnessed a decline in sculptural techniques. Portraits became more hieratic, with less realism in the gaze, often featuring large, emphasized eyes. The overall technique became stiffer, more abstract, and less realistic.
Example:
Bust of Constantine – This colossal portrait is characterized by its hieratic face and large, expressive eyes. Notably, the pupils are engraved, a novel feature of the time.
HISTORICAL RELIEF
Romans extensively used reliefs to decorate monuments and buildings, commemorating significant historical events. This genre best showcases their penchant for narrative.
Their technique involved using perspective and depth, achieved by graduating the size of figures and elements within the relief.
Examples:
- Ara Pacis (Rome) – This small altar-housing building, commissioned by Augustus in the 1st century BC, commemorates the peace established during his reign. The exterior is adorned with reliefs depicting the imperial family’s procession to make an offering for peace. These reliefs masterfully employ perspective and depth, showcasing techniques inherited from the Greeks.
- Reliefs from Trajan’s Column (Rome) – A continuous ribbon-like relief spirals around this massive column, narrating Emperor Trajan’s victories against the Dacians. This decoration is unique not only for its form but also for its cinematic storytelling. Different episodes of the war unfold sequentially from bottom to top, like a film. This column exemplifies Roman narrative and anecdotal detail, evident in the meticulousness, multitude of events, and characters depicted in a realistic, popular Roman style.
THE SARCOPHAGUS
From the 2nd century AD onward, burial became favored over cremation, necessitating sarcophagi, which were often decorated with reliefs.
Early sarcophagi featured a medallion with a portrait bust of the deceased. Later, continuous narratives, often depicting mythological scenes related to the underworld, battles, or hunts, became prevalent.
Examples: (Specific examples were not provided in the original text)