Bearing in mind the basic aspects of public honour and private commemoration outlined above focus is now on modes of representation.
Materiality, technique and the choice of material as giving meaning to
portraits are often overlooked. Material enhanced the aesthetic appeal
of a portrait and it carried cultural, contextual, social and economic
properties that changed with time.
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Archive for the ‘Ancient art’ Category
From material remains we receive few glimpses of the importance of
painting as a portrait medium.Most of the evidence derives from mural
painting, whereas portraits painted on wooden panels or linen have disappeared almost entirely, except in Egypt where preservation conditions
have been exceptionally good. However, portraits painted on wooden
panels were a mode of representation that was probably as significant
as marble or bronze. An abundance of evidence, both inscriptional and
literary, demonstrates that paintings were a significant portrait medium
in all parts of the Empire, including Rome. Dio, for example, first mentions
painted portraits when he explains that in A.D. 45 Claudius found
the public spaces in Rome so overcrowded with portraits that he had
them moved somewhere else.
The arch of Constantine is situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. It was erected to commemorate Constantine’s victory over Maxentius (one of the tetrarch) at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312 and of cecennalia or tenth anniversary as emperor in AD 315. (It was the year when Maxentius celebrated five years of reign in Rome). Arch was dedicated in AD 315, it is the latest of the existing triumphal arches in Rome, from which it differs by spolia, the extensive re-use of parts of earlier buildings erected by Hadrian, Traian and Marcus Aurelius.
The imperial-style structure was sometimes expanded to three arches with the central arch reaching a greater height than the two side arches. The triumphal arch of the empire was articulated by a facade of marble columns; ornamental cornices were added to the piers and attics, and the archway and sides were adorned with relief sculpture depicting the emperor’s victories and achievements. In Rome three triumphal arches have survived: the Arch of Titus (ad 81), with relief sculpture of his triumph over Jerusalem; the Arch of Septimius Severus (203–205), commemorating his victory over the Parthians; and the Arch of Constantine (312), a composite product, decorated with reused material from the times of Domitian, Trajan, and Hadrian.
Triumphal arches were erected in honour of important person or to commemorate a significant event such as victories. They have symbolic role, so that every relief depict allegory of victory. Exclusive right for triumphal entrance was allowed only for some specific person, namely emperor. Triumph of an emperor means glory entrance in the city, mostly riding a horse.
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