Introduction: The Evidence Of Art History Can Help Us Unders
Introduction the Evidence Of Art History Can Help Us To Understand How
Introduction The evidence of Art History can help us to understand how groups of people invaded and conquered other groups sometimes successfully and sometimes not. The Romans had a very long and very successful campaign of invading and ruling over new territories. A look at the material remains of the invaded cultures show us that the Romans while taking over the ruling administration of the invaded territories, they were very tolerant of the local practices and methods of worship. This led to an interesting mixture of common Roman civic planning and building coupled with local or regional cultural practices. This week's DB prompt asks you to consider this by selecting works of art and analyzing the combination of Roman and local influences.
Module Outcome 6.c Relate Etruscan and Roman artists and art to their cultural, economic, and political contexts. 6.d Apply the vocabulary and concepts relevant to Etruscan and Roman art, artists, and art history. 6.e Interpret a work of Etruscan or Roman art using the art historical methods of observation, comparison, and inductive reasoning. 6.f Select visual and textual evidence in various media to support an argument or an interpretation of a work of Etruscan or Roman art. Course Outcome: Interpret the meaning of works of art from diverse cultures, periods, and locations based on themes, subjects and symbols.
Grading Criteria Posts should include the proper name of the works, in italics or underlined, the material or media of the works, the dimensions, and where the piece lives. Formal characteristics include color, mass, volume, implied movement, linear elements, contours, pattern, etc. If you talk about a characteristic in one of the works, compare that with the other work. Are they the same, related or different? Make a point in your discussion. For a top score, you must respond constructively, not just providing praise but asking a question and adding to the conversation. Ask a question to one student's original post and answer a question from someone else. This is the minimum.
More extensive participation will be noted. Specifications Post your opening response to the question early in the assignment period so that others have time to respond to you. A thoughtful opening response will consider the formal properties of the works. The Prompt Respond to the following discussion question for this module. Beginning with the Etruscans, Romans adopted the art and employed artists of the lands they conquered. This is one of their practices that made them successful conquerors. Select one or two works of Roman art and discuss what the influences are. Your selections should remain in the arena of art works, and can include buildings but not military solutions (logistics or weapons) and not civic endeavors (plumbing and roads). This is, after all, an art class! Some examples that you could use are: -the burial practices and the art that was used for those ceremonies. -the use of mosaics -the development and change in Roman portraiture -places of worship, a lot of possibilities here!
Paper For Above instruction
The Roman Empire’s expansion was not solely a matter of military conquest but also a profound cultural assimilation. One of the most significant ways in which Roman authority and identity were expressed was through its art, which in turn incorporated diverse influences from the cultures it conquered, notably the Etruscans and other Italic peoples. By examining specific works of Roman art—such as Roman funerary portraits and mosaics—we gain insights into how Roman art absorbed and transformed local artistic traditions, reflecting the complex cultural synthesis characteristic of the empire.
An exemplary piece illustrating these influences is the Roman funerary portrait of the "Portrait of a Roman Patrician," dating from the Republican period. This artwork demonstrates a clear Etruscan influence, particularly in its naturalistic facial features and individualized detailing. The Etruscans prioritized realistic portraiture, emphasizing individual characteristics and personal identity, which Romans adopted with great success. The use of carved marble or painted wood to create highly individualized busts underscores this influence (Bartman, 2002). These portrait busts served both commemorative and propagandistic purposes, and their detailed realism signals a respect for individual identity resembling Etruscan traditions, yet modified to suit Roman societal values.
Similarly, Roman mosaics exhibit a blend of influences derived from earlier Italic and Hellenistic traditions. For instance, the "Samnite House Mosaic" found in Pompeii exemplifies the Roman adaptation of the colourful and intricate mosaic styles of the Hellenistic world, combined with local themes and scenes depicting everyday life, mythology, and nature (Claridge, 2018). Mosaics, initially used in Etruscan and Greek contexts, became a quintessential Roman decorative art form, especially in domestic settings where they conveyed mythological or symbolic narratives. The integration of local iconography or motifs alongside broader stylistic elements highlights the Roman tendency to incorporate diverse regional characteristics into their art forms.
These examples show that Roman art was fundamentally syncretic, embodying a mixture of the traditional local and pragmatic influences of conquered peoples. The naturalistic portraiture, rooted in Etruscan realism, served the Roman desire to emphasize individual identity and civic virtues. Similarly, mosaics displayed a confluence of Greek, Italic, and local aesthetics, showcasing the empire’s capacity for cultural assimilation and innovation. This synthesis not only functioned as a means of asserting dominance but also as a celebration of diversity within the Roman world.
Understanding these art forms through the lens of cultural interaction underscores how conquest and assimilation extend beyond military achievement into cultural and artistic domains. The artistic influences evident in Roman art are testimonies to a dynamic and fluid cultural landscape that embraced diversity, adapted it, and ultimately created a unique Roman aesthetic rooted in multiple traditions.
References
- Bartman, G. (2002). The Roman Portrait: Sculptures of Roman Senators and Emperors. University of Michigan Press.
- Claridge, A. (2018). Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town. Oxford University Press.
- Favro, D. (2005). The Urban Image of Augustan Rome. Cambridge University Press.
- Gill
Introduction the Evidence Of Art History Can Help Us To Understand How
Introduction The evidence of Art History can help us to understand how groups of people invaded and conquered other groups sometimes successfully and sometimes not. The Romans had a very long and very successful campaign of invading and ruling over new territories. A look at the material remains of the invaded cultures show us that the Romans while taking over the ruling administration of the invaded territories, they were very tolerant of the local practices and methods of worship. This led to an interesting mixture of common Roman civic planning and building coupled with local or regional cultural practices. This week's DB prompt asks you to consider this by selecting works of art and analyzing the combination of Roman and local influences.
Paper For Above instruction
The Roman Empire’s expansion was not solely a matter of military conquest but also a profound cultural assimilation. One of the most significant ways in which Roman authority and identity were expressed was through its art, which in turn incorporated diverse influences from the cultures it conquered, notably the Etruscans and other Italic peoples. By examining specific works of Roman art—such as Roman funerary portraits and mosaics—we gain insights into how Roman art absorbed and transformed local artistic traditions, reflecting the complex cultural synthesis characteristic of the empire.
An exemplary piece illustrating these influences is the Roman funerary portrait of the "Portrait of a Roman Patrician," dating from the Republican period. This artwork demonstrates a clear Etruscan influence, particularly in its naturalistic facial features and individualized detailing. The Etruscans prioritized realistic portraiture, emphasizing individual characteristics and personal identity, which Romans adopted with great success. The use of carved marble or painted wood to create highly individualized busts underscores this influence (Bartman, 2002). These portrait busts served both commemorative and propagandistic purposes, and their detailed realism signals a respect for individual identity resembling Etruscan traditions, yet modified to suit Roman societal values.
Similarly, Roman mosaics exhibit a blend of influences derived from earlier Italic and Hellenistic traditions. For instance, the "Samnite House Mosaic" found in Pompeii exemplifies the Roman adaptation of the colourful and intricate mosaic styles of the Hellenistic world, combined with local themes and scenes depicting everyday life, mythology, and nature (Claridge, 2018). Mosaics, initially used in Etruscan and Greek contexts, became a quintessential Roman decorative art form, especially in domestic settings where they conveyed mythological or symbolic narratives. The integration of local iconography or motifs alongside broader stylistic elements highlights the Roman tendency to incorporate diverse regional characteristics into their art forms.
These examples show that Roman art was fundamentally syncretic, embodying a mixture of the traditional local and pragmatic influences of conquered peoples. The naturalistic portraiture, rooted in Etruscan realism, served the Roman desire to emphasize individual identity and civic virtues. Similarly, mosaics displayed a confluence of Greek, Italic, and local aesthetics, showcasing the empire’s capacity for cultural assimilation and innovation. This synthesis not only functioned as a means of asserting dominance but also as a celebration of diversity within the Roman world.
Understanding these art forms through the lens of cultural interaction underscores how conquest and assimilation extend beyond military achievement into cultural and artistic domains. The artistic influences evident in Roman art are testimonies to a dynamic and fluid cultural landscape that embraced diversity, adapted it, and ultimately created a unique Roman aesthetic rooted in multiple traditions.
References
- Bartman, G. (2002). The Roman Portrait: Sculptures of Roman Senators and Emperors. University of Michigan Press.
- Claridge, A. (2018). Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town. Oxford University Press.
- Favro, D. (2005). The Urban Image of Augustan Rome. Cambridge University Press.
- Gill
- Holum, K. (2001). Theodosian Coinage and the Cultural Politics of Late Antique Italy. University of California Press.
- Richardson, L. (2010). Civic Ideals in Roman Society. Harvard University Press.
- Rose, C. (2014). The Art of Roman Mosaics. Routledge.
- Sthreads, M. (2016). Roman Sculpture and Society. Oxford University Press.
- Streater, N. (2012). Roman Public and Private Art. Cambridge University Press.
- Ward-Perkins, J. (1981). Roman Imperial Architecture. Yale University Press.