Art

Nitish Chauhan Wiki Research Project __ROMAN ART__ //“Roman art is not just the art of the emperors, senators, and aristocracy, but of all the peoples of Rome's vast empire, including middle-class businessmen, freedmen, slaves, and soldiers in Italy and the provi// //nces.” – Ellie Crystal// __ Introduction __ Roman art is one of the most recognizable arts of all man-kind. But what is not known to many people is that Roman art was simpl y a blend of many cultures that Rome h ad conquered //(www.artchive.com)// Until about 500 B.C. it was adapted completely from Etruscan arts then in 200 B.C. was influenced massively by the Hellenistic culture of Greece. //(Roger Ling, 12)// Later on they also mixed with cultures such as Spain, Carthaginians, Phoenicians, and Britons. //(www.library.thinkquest.org).// __ The Art __ Roman art was largely influenced by Greece culture. When Rome conquered Greece in 200 B.C. they melded with the culture even directly copying Greek statues into marble. One of the main di fferences between Greek and Roman art is that Romans were more realistic in their illustrations and focused on scaling things larger. //(www.artchive.com)// Rome, like Greece, emphasized the beauty of the Human bod y. R omans frequently sculpted famous politicians and the deceased (They believed if the face was well in stature form the ghost would be happy.) Also sculptors tried to portray the ideal man in their statues. //(www.library.thinkquest.org)// Rome was very talented in the field of sculpture but they also used many other ways to po rtray their art. They worked with things such as vases, gemstones and glass work. Romans were also the first to use mosaics in their art which are hundreds of tiles fitting together like a puzzle. Another of the prominent artworks Rome p roduced were grand paintings made with complicated plaster/coating combinations (to help preserve.) Some of the materials they used include: Bronze, Gold, Silver, Glass, Ivory, Marble, Limestone, Terracotta, lead, amber and wood. //(www.library.thinkquest.org)// __ Achievements __ Rome adapted the Art of Hellenistic culture to make som e of the grandest buildings/a  rtworks of their time. They built the famous Pantheon which still stands today. They inscripted the less-known  Trajan’s Co  lumn. They painted large landscapes on walls and plasters sizing up to 25 square feet that have stayed intact for several centuries. They also built the world renowned Coliseum. //(www.// //artchive//  //.com)// The Coliseum covered an ar  ea of 6 acres and the outer walls up to 48 meters high //(www.crystalinks.com).// Not only was the coliseum a genius o  f architecture and art but it was functional to society becoming a populated meeting area. __ Conclusion __ Roman art was one of the prominent of it’s time, especially in Christian cultures. They b uilt great buildings, statues, and paintings that still amaze to this day. And even though the art was overrun by barbarians after Rome’s downfall, it awed the new habitants enough not to destroy it. Then many centuries later Roman art was revived during the Renaissance of the 15 century, branching out, influencing art today. //([|www.artchive.com])// __ Summary __ **Roman Art was one of the most innovative and influential arts in human history, so much that we still use some of their techniques today.** Bibliography: 1.) West, Shearer. "Roman Art". Bullfinch. 12/03/2008 .       2.) http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/introduction.asp?dep=13 - Pictures 3.) N/A, "Roman Art". Thinkquest. 12/03/2008 .       4.) Crystal, Ellie. "Art and Artists in Ancient Rome - Renaissance". Crystal Links. 12/03/2008 . 5.) Ling, Roger, and Toynbee, F.. __Roman Art__. London, England: Penguin Books, 1976