Roman Art Midterm

Roman Art

Initially regarded as simply “ancient art in its period of decline” and lacking a recognizable style of its own, "Roman Art" is now a distinct subfield within art history. The designation "visual culture" helps scholars study all products of visual arts in the Roman period, without needing to separate "Roman" from "non-Roman" works.

Context

The larger setting of ancient artworks that generates meaning through interactions with forms. This includes inscriptions, other works belonging to the same dedication, older works already on the site, the enframing architecture or monument, and the location in the house, city, tomb, or temple.

Imagines

Ancestral family portraits of the nobiles of the Republic.

Patricians

Wealthy aristocrats in the Roman Republic.

Plebeians

Common people in the Roman Republic.

Veristic

Super realistic, used to describe Roman sculpture that tries to capture the essence of the subject

Basilica

Originally a Roman public building for transacting business and disposing of legal matters, typically located in the forum of a Roman town. Later, the term described a large and important church.

Classical/Classicizing

Refers to the influences of Greek art from the Classical and Hellenistic periods (480–31 BCE). Key elements include smooth lines, elegant drapery, idealized nude bodies, highly naturalistic forms, and balanced proportions.

Pax Romana

The peace that Augustus brought to the Roman empire.