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The Roman Republic introduced a government-style society with elected officials and representative institutions. It began after the overthrow of the last Etruscan king and ended with the rise of Augustus and the Roman Empire.
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The head of a Roman patrician from Otricoli is a depiction of an unknown man and dates from the middle of the first century; this portrait is a powerful representation of an aristocrat with his strong features, such as his cheekbones and nose. The portrait is detailed with wrinkles, fine lines, and saggy skin, which is a well-known style of this period called verism. https://smarthistory.org/head-of-a-roman-patrician/ -
Early Imperial art developed after Augustus became the first emperor of Rome, marking the transition of the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was designed to glorify the Emperor, celebrate Rome's power, and communicate messages of divine authority, peace, and prosperity.
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The Ara Pacis Augustae is an altar that was modified by Augustus and his family. The altercation served as a reminder of Augustus's success to the people of Rome and celebrated peace. This monument breaks the tradition of tragedy due to war and glorifies peace. https://smarthistory.org/ara-pacis/ -
Early Christian art represents a spiritual transformation of the Roman world, shifting from imperial power and human idealism to faith, symbolism, and divine truth. It kept the forms of Roman art but gave them new meanings rooted in Christianity.
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The Late Imperial period marked the end of the final centuries of the Roman Empire before its division and transformation under Christian rule. This era was defined by political instability, military crises, and major cultural shifts, which were all reflected in the changing style and purpose of art and architecture.
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The Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs depicts four nearly identical emperors shown in pairs embracing one another. Each figure is clothed in a military dress and holds a sword in their left hand while the other embraces the other emperor. This detail conveys the unity and strength of the four. The figures are abstracted, stiff, and blocky, which signifies it's struggles and upcoming fall between the empires. https://smarthistory.org/portraits-of-the-four-tetrarchs/ -
Christ as the good shepherd is a depiction of Jesus Christ carrying a sheep in a contrapposto pose. This statue embarks on a shift in the ideology of the sacrificial lamb seen in old Roman rituals. This idea is depicted in a new light as he is seen carrying a vulnerable animal, which highlights that shift in perspective. This is propaganda depicting an idea of the afterlife with the guidance of Christ the shepherd. https://smarthistory.org/the-good-shepherd-in-early-christianity/