Augustus of Prima Porta: Imperial Idealization and Symbolism

The Augustus of Prima Porta Statue

Dating and Context of the Sculpture

The statue known as the Augustus of Prima Porta is a marble copy of an original bronze sculpture. It is believed that the original bronze was created around 20 BC, based on the iconography that appears on the breastplate. The marble copy, however, was likely completed around the year 14 AD, indicated by the fact that Augustus is depicted barefoot, signifying his deification after death.

Roman Portraiture: Realism to Idealism

Roman sculpture is primarily focused on portraiture. The practice of the death mask (imago) heavily influenced early sculpture, determining the sharp features of the nose, chin, cheek, and mouth often seen in portraits. In imitation of these wax images, portraits were created in bronze and marble.

Republican Realism vs. Imperial Idealization

Portraits from the Republican era are characterized by a strong realism, reflecting the influence of Etruscan art. In contrast, during imperial times, statues of the emperor became symbols of the empire itself. These statues were highly idealized, presenting the emperor as beautiful and eternally young. The degree of idealization or realism varied depending on the ruling imperial dynasty.

The style of the Augustus of Prima Porta sculpture represents the proper ideal of the early days of the High Empire. During the era of Augustus, portrait idealization converted the physical model of the emperor into an archetype. He had to look like a good, intelligent, and powerful ruler; youth was represented because old age would be evidence of decadence.

Symbolism of Imperial Power

The portraits of the emperors were designed to flaunt the power they held. The full-length portrait is presented in different positions, with the standing pose being the most common.

Augustus as the Ideal Prince

The Rome represented in this work was the embodiment of the ideal prince in one of its many meanings. When represented as a well-defined ideal, Augustus's countenance underwent minimal changes throughout his 60 years of public life. It is a powerful representation of imperial authority.

Roles and Attributes of the Emperor

Imperial portraits often combined several symbolic roles:

• Consul: Wearing the consular mantle, leading and lifting the arm in a gesture of harangue.
• Legislator and Administrator of Justice: Credited with holding a law scroll in his hand.
• High Priest (Pontifex Maximus): The mantle extended over his head and the plate in his hand are the birthright of the emperor acting as high priest.
• Heroized Emperor: Depicted shirtless and wearing a crown of laurel.

Analyzing the Prima Porta Sculpture

In the Prima Porta statue, the emperor appears in military dress: a short tunic and a breastplate over his muscled torso, symbolizing command. As noted, Augustus appears barefoot, signifying his deification after his death.

Composition and Classical Influence

The statue reproduces the classical Greek model for composition and proportions. It presents shoulders that are nearly straight, despite the inclination of the hip and the flexion of the left leg. The composition is closely related to the contrapposto stance. This sculpture presents a dynamic expression, yet one that remains contained.

Iconography of the Breastplate

A complicated array of symbols appears in the reliefs that decorate the breastplate:

• The Dolphin of Venus, with Cupid acting as support, refers to the divine origin of the Julian family.
• The dolphin may also refer to the significant naval victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Actium.

In this work, an idealized portrait is combined with historical importance, creating a lasting image of imperial power.