The High Empire

Abuses by Claudius and Nero

Trajan reunited Roman empire, great military victoryin what is now Germany

Hadrian empire extended all the way to Britain. Built giant wall as symbol of barbarians (Celts, Anglo Saxons) vs. Civilization (Rome)

Trajan’s Column, 116 CE (High Imperial Period), 125’ high, marble (flashcard)

Narrative art, propaganda of the Dacian campaign glorifying Emp. Trajan

What type of patronage does this show?

Relief decoration 625” over 2500 individual figures.. Expands in height at upper parts of column.

Originally topped by statue of Trajan, now St. Peter

Located near Basilica Ulpia & Roman Forum.

Detail of relief sculpture on Trajan’s Column

Shows Trajan’s army crossing Danube in Dacian campaign…

Apotheosis: feeling that you can rise up buoyantly to the sky to commune with God(s)

Grandest of Hadrian’s monuments

CE 118-125 - High Imperial Period

Dedicated as a Christian Church

Design influence huge- Jefferson Memorial & others

Façade like Greek Temple

Discreetly promotes Emperor with Dome of Heaven

Simple repetition of square against circle in portico & rotunda

Oculus - opening for light. Used lighter concrete at top of dome.

Marble veneer disguises brick architecture

Deceptively simple design actually very technically sophisticated

Dome of The Pantheon, Rome, 118 CE (flashcard)

For the Win… Where is this dome located?

ARCH OF TITUS

SPOILS OF ROME

READ ABOUT ON YOUR OWN

Canopus, Hadrian’s Villa, 130 CE, Tivoli. He had a complex of buildings, lakes, gardens filled with Greek sculptures and recreated scenes from throughout the empire.

A better view… thjis is from Hadrian’s villa in Tivoli

Remember the CANOPUS and huge complex???

Portraits of Emperors

Portraits of Emperors

Romans used art & architecture to mold public opinion

http://www.artic.edu/cleo/hadrian/hadrianMovie.html

Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, •176 CE (High Imperial)

•Bronze, originally gilded

•Capitoline Museum, Rome (originally outside)

•Military commander celebrating his achievements

•Difficult to balance (physically) equestrian statue, plus making the horse not overwhelm the rider…created model for later artists!

•Beard in the style of Hadrian and philosophers

•Gesture like who???

•FLASHCARD

Middle-aged Flavian Woman,

Marble

Artist unknown

Vatican Museum

Example of Verism portrait sculpture

1st century CE

Young Flavian Woman

Marble

Artist unknown

Example of verism in portraiture, captures every detail of the hair

1st cent CE

flashcard

Baths of Caracalla

Baths of Diocletianaka Church of Sta. Maria della Angelleli

Portrait of the Tetrarchs

Caracalla,

Early 3rd century CE

Marble, 14.5”

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Murdered his brother Geta to ensure he became emperor

Wiped out every reference to Geta…damnatio mori

Constructed popular baths of Caracalla

Ruthless and cunning dictator.

See the painting of his family (with Geta wiped out of course!)

Head of Constantine the Great,325 CE, marble, 8’6” headFlashcard Image

•Was part of full sized mammoth statue•Imperial propaganda•Projects imperial power!! •Instrumentalism-power & authority•Permanent stand-in for emperor if he Was out of town•Somewhat abstracted like the Tetrarchs•Constantine ended religious persecution•Adopted Christianity as official religion•Made Constantinople the capital of The Empire

Arch of ConstantineMedium: Concrete and white marble

Size: height 50' (15 m)

Date: c. 312 CE (Restored 1822–24)

Source/Museum: Rome

FLASHCARD

Tribute to victory over Maxentius.. Reyclcled sculpture.

Relief panels from older monument of Marcus Aurelius. & some panels celebrating Trajan’s victory

Roudels from Hadrian monument.

Constantinue took over 312 invaded Itlaly, won Milvian Bridge, credited Chrsit with his victoy

313 AD ended religious persecution

Arch shows stiff, formal style which was adopted by the Christian church

Bridge between Roman and Early Christian art.

Audience Hall of The Basilica, Trier Germany

Built by Constantine

Became a bishop’s palace during medieval period

Trier had public amenities (baths, palace)

Simple plan, large scale

Issued edict of Milan model of religious tolerance

Basilica Nova, 306 CE

Rome

Built by Constantine and Maxentius

Brick & concrete barrel vaults

Groin vaulted nave

Priestess of Bachhus

Ivory Dyptych

Still old Roman religion “cults” survived after adoption of Christianity as official religion