ROMAN MYTHOLOGY

Etruscans

Settlers of ancient Etruria influenced by Greek and Near Eastern cultures.

Greeks and Near Eastern traditions via trade with Phoenicians.

What influenced Etruscan art style?

Funerary sports and rituals.

What was a frequent theme in Etruscan art?

Phersu

A masked Etruscan figure; possibly linked to the origin of the word person.

Rhea Silvia and Mars, the god of war.

Who are the parents of Romulus and Remus?

They were raised by a she-wolf; Romulus later killed Remus.

What famous story involves Romulus and Remus?

Romulus

Founder of Rome.

Transition from Paganism to Early Christianity.

What is the major religious shift shown in Roman culture?

iconography

A system of images used by artists to convey specific meanings.

Ikon meaning “image.”

What is the Greek root of “iconography”?

To identify saints, biblical events, and religious symbolism.

What is the purpose of iconography in Christian art?

St. Agatha

Christian martyr often shown with her severed breasts (her attribute).

St. Agnes

Virgin martyr often shown with a lamb.

St. Lucia

Martyr depicted with eyes on a plate or holding a lamp.

Felix Resurrección Hidalgo (1884)

Who painted Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas Al Populacho?

Christian virgins exposed to a hostile pagan crowd.

What does the painting depict?

Latin (West) and Orthodox (East) traditions.

What divided the Christian Church into East and West?

330 CE to 1453.

When did Byzantine art flourish?

Religious and imperial imagery

What were the two main focuses of Byzantine art?

They were highly regulated by religious authorities.

Why were Byzantine images stylized and symbolic?

tempera

A paint medium where pigment is mixed with egg yolk, milk, or gums.

In Italy, for panel paintings (13th–15th century).

Where and when was egg tempera commonly used?

Painting icons, panels, and detailed, long-lasting artworks.

What is tempera mainly used for?