Ancient Greek and Roman Art: Sculpture and Mosaics

Greek Sculpture

Greek sculpture was primarily crafted in bronze and marble, but also in wood, gold, and ivory. It encompassed two main types:

• Relief Sculpture: Used to decorate spandrels and friezes in temples and shrines.
• Free-standing Sculpture: This form embodied the Hellenistic canon of beauty, emphasizing proportion, balance, symmetry, volume, and movement.

Greek sculptures were very naturalistic. The central theme was the human form, which represented various gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, and athletes.

Sculptural Periods

• Archaic Period: Small figures, known as xoana, first appeared. It was thought they served to pay homage to deities. However, sculptures of athletes were more common. Male figures are called kouroi and female figures korai.
• Classical Period: Sculptors sought perfection. Phidias is among the most representative sculptors. Other sculptors, such as Myron and Polykleitos, were more interested in the body in motion.
• Hellenistic Period: Aphrodite (and her Roman counterpart, Venus) was among the most important goddesses represented. This period flourished particularly in Asia Minor, Greece, and Southern Italy. Individual sculptors are less known; instead, artistic schools became prominent. Themes of childhood became important (e.g., the Spinario, or Boy with a Thorn), and portraiture became significant, emphasizing the salient features of individuals (e.g., the philosopher Diogenes).

Greek Mosaic Art

Greek mosaic art is a technique designed to decorate walls and floors. Its golden age was established during the Hellenistic period. It featured two main types:

• Pebble Mosaic: Made with natural stones, often in natural, muted colors, predominantly white.
• Tessellated Mosaic: Made of tiny pieces of different colored stone cut into small, uniform pieces called tesserae. This technique gradually replaced pebble mosaics.

Roman Sculpture

Roman sculpture has its origins in the Hellenistic period. It developed two primary forms:

• Portraiture

  • Republican Period: Portraits could depict the entire body, though they often focused on the head and neck. They were often polychrome (multicolored) and very realistic. Female portraits often depicted the head covered with a palla (mantle).
  • Imperial Period: The portrait of the Emperor became paramount. Hairstyles in imperial portraits often reflected contemporary fashion.

• Historical Reliefs

  These reliefs depicted historical events, often battle scenes, and can be categorized by significant examples:

  • Reliefs from the Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace): Depicting a solemn procession bringing offerings to the altar. Notable for its use of multiple planes to create depth.
  • Reliefs from the Arch of Titus: Show the emperor's triumphal procession, including the spoils from Jerusalem.
  • Reliefs from Trajan's Column: These spiral reliefs narrate the military campaigns and achievements of Emperor Trajan.