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In this article, Marconi pointed out that the Parthenon frieze was invisible, because the figures on the frieze were small and distorted, the lighting was bad, and people were not able to have a good view of it. Further, he argued that the invisibility of the frieze was not a severe problem due to three reasons. To begin with, the Parthenon was a treasury, so its frieze had a metaphoric value of expressing wealth and power. Also, the Parthenon is a temple with high level of attention. Moreover, it might functioned as a timeless memorial for the offspring and a favorable gift to the gods.
Marconi made a convincing argument about the metaphoric value of the Parthenon frieze. First, he discussed the development of Greek temple decoration and stated
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However, his view was not compellingly supported. He first gave an example in Ion to suggest that people would highly notice the Parthenon frieze. Then in his discussion about the modern interpretation of figural decoration, he related the Parthenon frieze to Trajan’s Column. He contradicted the modern explanation that decorations on both of them were considered meaningless by showing that they were gazed by people in public. Yet, the example of Trajan’s Column here was inappropriate because of the tremendous differences in their backgrounds and their degrees of visibility. The Parthenon was constructed in around 400 B.C.E. in Athens to express the wealth of Athens and Athenians, while Trajan’s Column was built in 113 C.E. in Rome to show the king’s personal power. Also, unlike the Parthenon frieze, there are less distortions, better lighting, and good views when people look at Trajan’s Column, because figures were sculpted from bottom to top of Trajan’s Column, and nothing covers it, which makes it more visible to the viewers. Therefore, although both of the Parthenon frieze and Trajan’s Column are decorative, the relationship between them is
The difference between an archaic statue such as Kroisos (fig. 5-11) and a classical statue such as Doryphoros (fig. 5-42) may not seem very great in a single glance. In fact, you may not notice any differences in that one glance. Yet, if you were to look at them closely, you can see that these two statues actually have very little in common.
Cumont argued for a complex allegorical symbolism concerning the fate of the soul after death. On the other hand, Nock stressed the importance of linking the myth to other areas of Roman art and their association with classicism and education. More generally, the use of myth on Roman sarcophagi as either allegory or decoration is part of a larger argument of whether it represents hopes and beliefs about life after death and assimilating the deceased with the myth or asserting messages about the life of the deceased before their death. Most recently Paul Zanker and Bjorn Ewald have widened the debate to suggest that myths can be read as consolations to the person who lost their loved one. This paper will be placed within the above debate by analyzing the sarcophagi of C. Junius Euhodus and his wife Metilia Acte, which depicts the Alcestis myth. I will be focusing on how the sarcophagi emphasizes the couples victory over death; how the patron who commissioned the sarcophagi influenced what was depicted, and the everyday themes that relate to Roman customs such as
The rise of rational doubt among ancient Greek philosophers lay the groundwork for a dramatic reconceptualization of time and space in the Classical Era. In this paper, I will expose some basic characteristics of the artwork which came out of this era. I will then examine the subsequent rise of Christianity, and how this radical change in the belief system affected the artwork which we see, in turn, from this era.
The Parthenon is an amazing Greek temple that was built 2,500 years ago. Even the architects of today have numerous questions about how it was constructed and how it has held up through its eventful past. The Parthenon's detailed appearance is not its only meaningful quality. The Parthenon was constructed as a temple to the goddess, Athena, and as an icon of the Greek people themselves. The Parthenon represents the Greek ideals of humanism, idealism, and rationalism.
Discovered in 1889 during the demolition of an ancient tomb along a Roman road from Capranica to Vetralla, the marble garland sarcophagus depicts in “the best style of Roman art” (American Journal 220) a scene from the myth of Theseus and Ariadne. After acquisition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art a year later, a general background concerning the artifact was established. Originating sometime in the middle second century C.E during the Hadrianic or early Antonine period of the Roman Empire, the sarcophagus medium exists in Luni and Pentellic marble and stands 31 by 85 by 28 inches (McCann 27). The adornments upon the marble are many: the lid features winged erotes on chariots led by four different animals to represent the four seasons-bear for spring, bull for fall, lion for summer, and boar for winter (Hanfmann 180)-the front displays more erotes with “seasonal garlands composed of flowers, wheat, grapes, pomegranates, and laurel (McCann 33),” and the various scenes from the myth of Theseus above the swags but below the garlands from left to right show Ariadne giving Theseus the thread to navigate through the labyrinth, Theseus in battle with the minotaur of Crete, and Theseus gazing back at Ariadne as he leaves Naxos. In addition, a comic mask and a young satyr call the right side of the sarcophagus their home.
The Parthenon was built to honor the goddess of wisdom, Athena. When structures are built using straight lines they tend to look slightly distorted due to the science of optics. The architects Iktos and Kallikretes were skilled architects of their time and they used illusory tactics to create an ideal aesthetic for The Parthenon. The architects compensated for these visual illusions by counteracting them in their design. The end result is a structure that is not composed of straight lines, but when viewed by the human eye, looks perfectly straight. Plato would have mentioned one of his famous dictums, ?That which changes least is most real.? He would have viewed Iktos and Kallikretes designs as less real than other designs that do not u...
of the greatest architectural structures in the time. Along with the forum he built Trajan's column, which at the base depicted the war against Dacia.
...ctives and elevations of the fountain recall the cityscapes seen on the walls of the cubiculum and other paintings having something to do with scenae frons architecture (11). The exhedrae, which usually adjoined open palestria or peristyles, offer a good comparison with their semicircular arcades forming annular volumes. These spaces communicate with the outer area but still have their own sense of place and charm. They also have a particular public character more appropriate to looking at the Piazza, than say, the semicircular arcades of the markets of Trajan behind one exhedra of his forum (12). While an engaging space in its own right, the Piazza d'Italia fountain operates only partially within the realm of ancient Greco-Roman architecture (Moore's Ph.D dissertation at Princeton was on water in architecture, so he had ample material to draw from. Kiem pp. 196-198).
In Ancient Rome public art was of high importance and multi-functional amongst the society. The Trajan’s Column is an ideal example of one such admirable masterpiece; as well as one of the most valued to survive in such good condition from the ancient Empire. A variety of different aspects that make up this intricately designed tower will be explored and discussed in this essay with a focus on the propaganda depicted scenes that spiral around it. Discussion The Trojans Column is thirty eight meters high and made of multiple, forty ton marble columns stacked on top of one another.
The Parthenon was built during the Golden age in Athens, Greece. The Parthenon is made of mainly columns; there is a 9:4 ratio. It was almost destroyed in war; the ruins that remained were dedicated to Athena. The purpose of the Parthenon was to house the statue of Athena, made of ivory and gold, and also Athena’s treasure. The ratios and the equations used to make the Parthenon were used as a sign of the harmony in the natural world around us. The mathematical harmony in the world shows how we can work with the world rather than destroy to make it what we want. The Parthenon also has no straight lines. The columns of the Parthenon are angled going up getting smaller the higher they get. This was done so that you could get the best lighting
Q: Use St. Peter’s Basilica and Donato Bramante’s Tempietto in Rome, in opposition to John Balthasar Neumann’s Pilgrimage Church of Vier(7) in Bamburg, Germany, to argue that a rational engagement with architecture is a more effective means to comprehend and understand architectural form. During the period of Renaissance, human’s thought and intelligence has reached its highest and its effect on the architectural form, it became clear and its engagement of rational aspect on the building. Mainly geometrical forms are the characteristics which can be identified. Not so long after the Renaissance period of Baroque architecture was introduced, rather than logic and reasoning they wanted to capture the emotional atmosphere by using the architectural elements such as light, height, crafted art, costly materials and so on as mentioned by(Scotti 2007, 5-10).
Here, we will be looking at a rendition of the high marble statue of Augustus Caesar known as “Augustus of Prima Porta.” Originating from 1st Century A.D., it is said that there is a possibility that the original sculpture could have been of greek descent. Upon a general overview of the sculpture, one can see that Augustus fulfils a millitarial role of some kind. From his very stance to the garments portrayed on him, Augustus is draped in a decorative cuirass and a tunic, accompanied by a figure of Cupid clutching on to his right calf. After taking the general themes of the work into account, one can then began to start unraveling the many symbolic elements embedded into the sculpture that allude to godly themes. Starting from the crown of his head, the very chiselment and structure of his face gives the work a youthful element to it, even though some say that Augustus was around 40 years old. A recurring theme within Greek and Roman culture is the matter of godliness and immortality amongst idolized figures themselves. This idea is usually depicted by displaying powerful human being in a younger light. This
The portrayal of the human figure in Greek art makes huge leaps from simple, human-like figures to some of the greatest, most anatomically correct pieces of art. These magnificent feats in the world of art are quickly forgotten when compared to artworks from the Late Roman Empire. When comparing the two artworks of the Spear Bearer and The Four Tetrarchs, it is easy to see how quickly the progress of the Greek artwork was forgotten.
The city of Rome delivers rich culture, influential architecture, and beautiful scenery that collectively demonstrate a course of great history and a prominent civilization. There are various structures from Imperial Rome that are highly recognized and mentioned within artistic research. Some examples include the Pantheon, Basilica Ulpia, Flavian Amphitheater, Arch of Titus, and Column of Trajan. Also referred to as Trajan’s Column, the iconic sculpture retains a prestigious appearance as it’s shown with characteristics of empowering height and intricate detail (Fig. 1). When analyzing such a remarkable piece of artwork one should consider the different elements that pertain to the subject matter and historical context. With that in mind, this paper presents the argument that the column is not only a portrayal of the Dacian Wars but also a funerary monument, paradigm of military inspiration, and tribute to Trajan’s reign.
On the 25th July, I travelled to Rome to take in as many wonderful sights as possible, such as the Trevi Fountain, Rome’s most popular tourist attraction. Trevi Fountain was completed in 1762 and it was designed by Nicola Salvi. Trevi Fountain is the world famous Baroque fountain. It features a mythological sculptural composition of Neptune, god of the sea, flanked by two Tritons. On my journey towards the Trevi Fountain there were huge crowds of people, but even thoug...