...The Emperor Hadrian is not one of the more known portrait sculptures but it is certainly an artwork that represents a significance much deeper than what is portrayed. The Emperor Hadrian is a portrait sculpture that depicts the adventurous and fulfilling life of one of the most portrayed emperors in Roman history. Hadrian’s portraits have been found all throughout the Roman Empire, from the Asia Minor to Egypt and from the United Kingdom to Persia. Hadrian was known to have a complex character and that is depicted in the majority of his portrayals. As a result of his impeccable leadership and vast improvements to the Roman Empire, artists and sculptors gave Hadrian the most attention out of all Roman emperors. This specific portrait sculpture...
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...site was built as an offering in honor of the Greek goddess Athena built in 490 BCE but destroyed in the Persian invasion of 480BCE. However in 447 BCE, Perikles commissioned a much grander and larger temple to be built over the existing foundation. The image to the right is of the ‘Hagia Sophia’, dated between 532-537, Byzantine Period. In a similar way to the Parthenon the Hagia Sophia was built over an existing fourth-century church that had been destroyed during the Nika Revolt in 532. An apparent similarity between both the places of prayer is that they were both aesthetically magnificent and groundbreaking works of art at the time, and are respectively one of the greatest examples of Greek and Byzantine architecture at it’s best. The building of the Parthenon required extraordinary skills of all forms -mathematical, mechanical, architectural, sculptural, and the culmination of this skill resulted in a beautifully harmonious monument. The Hagia Sophia was also planned and developed by the best scholar-theoreticians of the time who managed to create a truly complex, awe-inspiring form. However, the style of the exterior of both the structures are entirely different. The Parthenon is a Doric peripteral temple, which means...
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...Roman Portraiture The Romans practiced the art of capturing an image of a person, otherwise known as Roman portraiture, which is a significant period in the field of portrait art. This practice continued for almost five centuries starting from Ancient Rome. It can be seen that during this period, portraits spoke a lot about a specific person thus it became an integral part of society. The way one was depicted through portraiture became very important for the Romans as it reflected not only them but their history as well. They executed this in various forms of media. Its most popular mediums were coins and sculptures but they were also done in paintings, glass, and gems. These were done in various materials such as for example; the sculptures were made with the use of marble, terracotta and even bronze. With portraiture being done through various mediums, it can be noted how it had both uses for the public such as it appearing on coins and of course for their own private uses or display. Roman portraiture constantly had changing styles, which can be characterized by a stylistic cycle. It can be seen that it had an alternating shift from realistic to idealistic elements. Emperors and public officials portrayed themselves in a way that would benefit their endeavors by switching from one style to the other. For example, since one’s military prowess and devotion to public service were attributes that were highly looked after, public officials would have their portraits made...
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...style. As for the form, it is also characteristic in the manner that bilateral symmetry prevails, there are harmonious proportions, and how the lines work to keep the human figure compact. It is also characteristic of the Egyptian Old Kingdom style in the manner of how the portrait establishes a standard representation of Kingship and Queenship. They carry themselves as royalty, are wearing distinctive high status clothing (Headdresses, false beard), and the female’s “womanhood” is very apparent (swollen belly, full breasts, pubic triangle). 2. The Apoxyomenos (“The Scraper”) • Materials The Greek original of this piece was a bronze. Unfortunately, like many other pieces of the time, it was melted down. What we are seeing is the Roman marble copy. • Style-period and personal (Lysippus) The Apoxyomenos follows the Late Classical Style. Lysippus employed a new set of proportions and a heightened sense of realism. His point was to engage others in the piece and make use of real space. 3. The Augustus from Primaporta • Style-period The portrait of Augustus from Primaporta...
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