THE
250
MOST INFLUENTIAL PIECES IN THE WORLD
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IN THIS ISSUE >>> Who is he? | Verism | The Roman Republic | Other pieces
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Identification, broad overview of Head of a Roman Patrician
Physical description of the piece Description of Verism and its function in Late Republican Roman politics
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Overview of the events and political climate of Late Republic Rome Trace the life of Caesar Use of verism to succeed in the political arena
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Comparison to other pieces different time periods and eras
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WHO IS HE? Head of a Roman Patrician from Oricoli Republican Roman c. 75-50 BCE Marble An unidentified Roman patrician in the waning days of the Roman Republic
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Verism V
erism is the artistic preference of contemporary everyday subject matter instead of heroic or legendary figures in art and literature. It also describes hyperrealism in sculpture where normal features are exaggerated. The style makes a statement about personality: serious, experienced, determined, loyal to family and state, virtues which are admired during the republic and considered a sign of character. Instead of representing the subject in a highly idealized manner, the artists rendered every wrinkle, fold, and surface in painstaking detail, creating a “brutal portrait” that showed the truth. Traditionally, men were the subjects of these veristic busts. The realistic depiction communicates a sense of experience and power, which was an ideal representation for this particular era in
Roman politics. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans believed that the head alone was sufficient to make a full portraits. The Greeks argued that the head and body were integral parts of a whole that could not be separated, thus the Greeks commonly created full length portraits, and the Romans busts. The age and style of a subject represents different cultural values at various points of time. Patricians and rulers who commissioned idealistic portraits wanted to call on the authority of the ancient Greeks, but portraits with a more veristic flavor aimed to depict wisdom, power and experience. Consecutive rulers either aligned themselves with their predecessors with the same style, or took on a different style to distance themselves from past unfavorable rulers. These specific veristic portraits were influenced by the imagines, which were Roman ancestor portraits keep in the home (See page 4).
is the new
idealism
wrinkled, sagging face unemotional expression strong facial structure hooked nose furrowed brow toothless marble bust
Verus: “truth” Latin
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“Corvus oculum corvi non eruit� A raven will not pick out the eye of another raven
THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
T
he Roman Republic began with the overthrow of the Roman Empire in 509 BCE and ended with the establishment of the Roman Empire in 27 BCE. The Roman Republic was governed by a group of patricians
(plebeians were overlooked). The two highest positions in the Roman government were consuls. The Senate, which was made up of patrician men, elected new consuls each year. The Republic was under
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increasing tension as it struggled to keep up with the constantly expanding borders. In addition, the hostility between the members of the First Triumvirate and subsequent assassination of Gaius Julius
COVER| VOLUME 1| ISSUE 1 Caesar contributed to the ultimate demise of the Republic. That chaotic political climate spurred politicians to jockey for positions in the political arena. Aristocratic senators were fiercely proud of their lineage and had a deep respect for their lineages (many times their ancestors were victorious generals from distinguished families). Veristic portraits were created in the tradition of household imagines, which were “death masks”, or portraits, of ancestors kept in the house. These household imagines were how patricians celebrated their elevated class and notable ancestry. As Rome expanded, payoff for power became more and more significant, and positions of power now held more appeal than ever. Art pieces and portraiture were commonly used as propaganda. The Romans had a “stylistic cycle”, Dynasties alternated between veristic and classicizing representations, each aiming to portray a different representation. The Late Roman Republic experienced many internal conflicts (see timeline), and along with the cultural virtues of the Republic, verism was popular, as it allowed the subject to express their own emotions. The Head of the Roman Patrician was created in the era when Gaius Julius Caesar was on his way to making himself one of the most famous Romans of all time.
LATE ROMAN REPUBLIC
75 BCE Julius Caesar is captured by pirates
71 BCE
Revolt of Spartacus crushed by Pompey and Crassus
59-50 BCE 58 BCE Caesar’s early campaigns
Caesar is appointed consul
49 BCE
Caesar is appointed dictator of the Roman Republic
44 BCE Caesar is assassinated
27 BCE
Fall of the Roman Republic. Octavian renames himself Augustus Caesar and becomes the first Roman Emperor
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a
b 6
c
d
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Cycle of styles
T
he Head of a Roman Patrician is part of a “Cycle of Styles” that Roman art experienced through different eras. Verism presents a subject realistically, with an accurate representation of features as well as any imperfections. On the other hand, Idealism presents the subjects as youthful, vibrant, and embodying the
beauty trends of that era. These conscious set of attributes and symbols provide a visual language for the particular era’s cultural values. The Augustan and Julio-Claudian dynasties emphasized youth. For example, the statue known as Augustus of Prima Porta is an idealistic representation- Augustus wanted to
disseminate an image that showed his link to imperial dynasties and the Gods. During the turbulence of the ascending Flavian dynasty and a shift in the political climate, Romans went back to the veristic style of portraiture. Roman leaders utilized different styles to align themselves with previous rulers to legitimize their power.
i s l m a e Id a
c
Portrait Bust of a Flavian Woman 100 CE
Augustus of Prima Porta A.D. 212–217
New innovations in drilling and portraiture allowed for artists to capture the elaborate corkscrew hairstyles of the Flavian dynasty. The head is positioned in a very delicate way, and the sculptor carved her face with subtlety to depict Flavian beauty standards.
b
Middle- aged Flavian woman 100 CE This portrait depicts a common woman (not a legendary figure) and accurately portrays her age and the details of her face. Created in the same era as object (a).
Augustus is depicted as a young, adept general, wearing decorated armor and giving orders to his troops. The statue was a piece of propaganda for the emperor, depicting him as a supporter of Roman religion and as a successful military victor and orator. This idealistic statue calls on the golden age of Greece (similar to the Spear Bearer). The Cupid next to his left leg implies his connection with the goddess Venus.
d
Marble portrait of the emperor Caracalla 212–217 CE Caracalla’s short, buzzed haircut, “militaristic beard”, and intense, almost aggressive gaze is expressive of his military background. The portrait was meant to emphasize his military prowess and power.
Verism
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Adhiti Chundur| AP Art History| 2016| Rome