roman art class

Discussion of Hadrian and architectural projects:
- Hadrian's engagement with visitors at the Pantheon, signifying his grandeur.
- Memorial Damnation concept—applied to emperors like Nero whose buildings and imagery were destroyed posthumously for their poor reigns.
- Hadrian's architectural contributions remain intact due to his positive reign.
Description of Hadrian's Villa:
- Plan and significance of the villa located outside Rome.
- Features of the villa:
- Reflecting pool intended to symbolize the Nile—an homage to Hadrian's admiration for Egypt.
- Various buildings each representing different provinces of the Roman Empire, showcasing Hadrian's vision of an empire-inclusive residence.
- Predominantly Greek naming conventions for the villa structures despite their imperial representation.
- The villa as Hadrian's luxurious retreat.
- Architectural details:
- Use of alternating arches and flat lintels.
- Presence of statues of Greek deities and Caryatids (female figures serving as columns).
- Mosaics richly illustrating Greek mythology tied to Hadrian's appreciation for Greek art, highlighting the Hellenistic period's influence.

Mosaics defined: Images formed using small pieces such as stones, pebbles, glass, or shells arranged in grout.
Preservation techniques involved pressing pieces into grout and applying additional layers for stability—similar to modern tile work.

Significance: A major fortification representing the empire's northern frontier in the UK.
Construction: Commenced in 122 CE, extending from Solway Firth to the River Tyne, approximately 76 Roman miles long, with variances in local materials and design across its length.
Characteristics of the wall:
- Initial height of 14 feet and width of 10 feet, significantly reduced over time.
- Features forts, such as Vindolanda and auxiliary garrisoning every few miles, aimed at controlling migration and trade.

Pompeii's relevance: Once a thriving city of 10,000 inhabitants that gained archaeological importance post-volcanic eruption in 79 CE from Mount Vesuvius, which engulfed it in ash and preserved it.
Preservation context: Distinct comparison to other archaeological sites (e.g., Thera, Troy) where ash led to similar preservation.
After discovery in the 18th century, Pompeii revealed everyday aspects of Roman urban life, including street vendors and establishments like brothels.

Components of Roman houses:
- Layout featuring small rooms around open courtyards, termed Atrium and Peristyle (courtyards surrounded by columns), providing access to various rooms including kitchens and servants' quarters.
- Gardens facilitated by the favorable southern climate, promoting lush flora all year round.
Noteworthy residences:
- House of the Vettii:
- Owned by former slaves who amassed wealth; significant for its wall paintings and phallic imagery, believed to signify prosperity.
- Fourth style decorations characterized by illusionistic panels and symbolic motifs.
- Villa of Mysteries:
- Noteworthy for paintings deeply tied to cult practices and initiation rites associated with Bacchus, showcasing megalography (large figures) as a key artistic feature.

First Style (300 BCE - 100 BCE):
- Illusionistic murals mimicking patterned marble panels and projecting architectural details.
Second Style (100 BCE - 20 BCE):
- Extension of space visually through complex scenes, landscapes, figures, etc.
Third Style (Late 1st century BCE - CE):
- Replacement of landscapes with solid color panels, enriched by delicate motifs.
Fourth Style:
- Combines elements from the previous three styles, depicting depth and image layering, evident in the Ixion room.

Examination of the Young Flavian Woman:
- Discusses hair features showcasing piroscuro (contrast of light and shadow) and historical context—indicating renewed scholarship on Flavian women post-1960s.
- Authenticity debates surrounding the portrait correlate to preserved hairstyles and fashion trends of the era and after.

The transition from the Julio-Claudian to the Flavian dynasty after the civil war post-Nero's regime.
Arch of Titus:
- Celebratory structure representing military victories, particularly referencing campaigns against Jerusalem, featuring reliefs adorned with Judaic symbolism and showcasing the empire's military prowess.

Largest amphitheater ever constructed, accommodating roughly 45,000 spectators—architectural significance intended to display power.
Key features:
- Built with Roman concrete, endowed with intricate external facades of marble.
- Showcases various column styles surmounting each level, ascending from Tuscan to Corinthian designs.
Noteworthy events included mass animal slaughters and gladiatorial combat emphasizing ancient Roman entertainment's brutality.

Distinctions between barrel vaults (arches lined in sequence) and groin vaults (intersecting barrel vaults, forming complex spaces).

Discussion transitions to describe the advanced mechanics of the Colosseum for diverse events, including naval battles and various public spectacles.

Trajan's Column:
- A victory monument encapsulating detailed carvings depicting various military campaigns, emphasizing both battle scenes and everyday life in a uniquely narrative style through a spiral relief motif.
Marcus Aurelius statue:
- A renowned equestrian sculpture characterized by its realistic portrayal, showcasing Marcus as a philosopher-leader in contrasts to more aggressive representations of earlier figures.

Commodus as a pivotal figure in the transition to decline—excesses during his rule, a departure from military focus, and his notorious reign seen as part of a detrimental cycle leading to later turmoil.
Introduction to the Tetrarchy:
- Defined by a division of power among four rulers to streamline governance amid overwhelming empire challenges.

Highlights Constantine's conversion and adaptation of previous imperial visual language in his architectural projects, particularly in the reuse of Hadrianic imagery to solidify his legacy.

Unique in design, diverging from traditional domestic settings and instead reflecting monumental Roman baths; highlights the scale and ambition of Roman architecture under Constantine.

Transition into discussions about early Jewish art and early Christian art as the next class will delve into art history beyond the Roman Empire.
Scheduling of makeup class to further explore these topics while inviting further engagement from students.