Roman art

Roman art encompasses a vast range of creative expressions from the Republic and the Empire.

It includes architecture, sculpture, painting, and mosaic work. Romans also produced luxury items like metalwork, glass, and ivory carvings. While these smaller objects were not called "art" at the time, they were highly skilled. Sculpture was often viewed as the highest art form. However, figure painting was also held in high regard by Roman society.

Artists used many specific techniques to create their works. They practiced high and low relief to create depth in carvings. They used bronze casting for statues and created intricate cameos and jewelry.

Painters used two main methods for wall art. The first is fresco, which involves painting on wet plaster. The second is a secco, or dry method, where paint is applied to a dry surface. Romans also used perspective drawing to try and show depth on flat walls. They applied shading and coloration to make surfaces look real.

Roman art can be divided into several distinct types and styles. There was decorative art for the home, such as mosaics and wall paintings. There was also functional art, like Roman coins used for propaganda.

Pottery provides another category, specifically "fine wares" known as terra sigillata. These were decorated with reliefs and were affordable for many people. In the late Empire, art shifted toward religious themes. This period saw a rise in mosaic ceilings and funerary sculpture.

History shows that Roman art was deeply connected to Greek traditions. Much of the Greek sculpture we see today exists as Roman marble copies.

Roman artists studied Greek treatises on art through books and teaching. Many artists actually came from Greek colonies and provinces. However, Roman art was also a creative pastiche. It blended Greek models with Etruscan, Italic, and Egyptian influences. This mixture is known as stylistic eclecticism.

Significant numbers help us understand the scale of Roman art. The Roman era lasted roughly 900 years, yet we only have samples from about 200 of those years.

Most surviving wall paintings come from the century before AD 79. This is because the eruption of Mount Vesuvius preserved sites like Pompeii and Herculaneum. In the late Empire, the scale of art production remained massive. For example, the construction of the Church of Hagia Sophia required nearly 10,000 workmen.

There are many surprising facts about how Romans viewed their artists. Unlike the Greeks, Romans did not often celebrate individual masters. Most Roman artists were anonymous tradesmen rather than famous celebrities. They did not sign most of their works. While Greeks focused on artistic theory, Romans used art to show wealth and status.

One unique Roman invention was the bust. Unlike other portraits, the Roman bust often did not include the shoulders. This may have been an early Roman or Etruscan tradition.

Roman art eventually connected to the broader history of the Mediterranean. When Constantine moved the capital to Constantinople, art changed again. It began to incorporate Eastern influences to create the Byzantine style.

This transition helped shape the art of the Christian era. Even the Renaissance, occurring 1,900 years later, relied on techniques demonstrated by these ancient traditions. Most Renaissance methods were found in Greek and Roman works. The only major exceptions were oil colors and perfect mathematical perspective.