ROMAN ART
ALWAYS SOMETHING BORROWED

Ancient Romans were not particularly creative but they were innovators. They liked to borrow artistic ideas from other cultures and change them slightly with their own improvements. The culture the Romans borrowed from most heavily was Greece. They admired the Greeks use of sculpture, architecture, mosaics, pottery and glass. All these art forms were adapted to fit Roman life styles and ideals.

WARTS AND ALL

As Rome finally settled into peace under Octavius Caesar, trade increased and new wealth and prosperity flooded in. Numerous ships and long mule or camel caravans made their way to Rome carrying cloth, furniture, food, spices, silver and gold. Many men who had always wanted important positions in society could suddenly afford to buy luxurious homes and status symbols that would place them among aristocrats and the leaders of their city. As never before, Romans wanted to show off their wealth and outdo their neighbors. In a mad dash, Romans rushed to buy larger homes and all the decorative necessities.

During this time, Romans developed a special passion for Greek statues. Many of the statues that flooded the Roman marketplace were copies but that didn't seem to matter as long as the marble, designs and artists were Greek. So many Greeks began carving statues for the Romans that it was jokingly said that every Greek who could hold a chisel had become a sculptor. Some Greek artists copied only classical Greek statues but many more made a living by carving portraits of Roman citizens and their wives.

When you look at Greek and Roman portraiture, particularly in sculpture, you will see a distinct difference. Greek sculpture shows the human figure in perfect form, everyone has perfect bodies and perfect faces. Roman sculpture is more realistic. Romans did not expect artists to make their subjects look prettier; they were expected to make sculptures that were true to life. In Rome, a person with a big nose and weak chin would be sculpted with a big nose and weak chin. The Romans didn't want pretty, they wanted realistic. They felt that they did not need to be idealized; it was enough just to be Roman.

Romans also seemed to believe that having a good image of someone's face would keep a person's ghost happy, so that it would not haunt the living after death. Romans put realistic images of themselves everywhere: on statues, relief sculpture, mosaics, paintings and coins.

PUT A DOME ON IT

Architecture is the art of building. As with all their art, the Romans borrowed heavily from other cultures, particularly Greece. Romans did not invent the arch but they used it with great skill and innovation. They also added the dome to the arch. The Pantheon is a classic example of a Roman dome. Romans decorated the inside of their domes with wooden panels covered with plaster or stucco. Often sculpture would be added to the panels or they might be painted.

Sometimes the Ancient Romans would try to create new styles of architecture by combining styles from other cultures. The outcome of some of these new styles was not very pleasing to look at. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans did not always have the ability to make buildings that were perfect in symmetry, balance and proportion. What the Romans did best was build strong, solid structures that would last. The Romans invented concrete and perfected other building techniques that ensured their constructions would stand the test of time.

MOSAICS THAT COMMUNICATE

Mosaics are pictures made from tiny tiles. Each tile makes a part of a larger picture. Mosaics were not just for decoration. In Ancient Rome they were a form of communication. Mosaics were usually put on the floor of a main room in a house. Roman mosaics were made to impress guests and to tell something about the family that lived in the house.

People wanted their mosaics to be impressive and to be talked about. A mosaic with a personalized design told guests that the people who owned the house were wealthy and important in the community. Sometimes mosaics would show a scene from history, honor a god or goddess, or depict favorite Roman animals such as dolphins, horses or dogs. Many artists and craftsmen worked on mosaics in Rome. Romans could work with an artist to custom design a mosaic or go to a shop and look at designs where they could pick out the pattern they wanted. There was such a large demand for mosaics in Rome that kits were often made of the most popular designs.

The first step of making a mosaic was sketching the design. An artist would make a small sketch and if the design was approved a full size color sketch would be made. This would become the pattern for the mosaic. Workers would dig a shallow hole the exact size of the finished mosaic at the site where it would be installed. A base of rubble was then layered and compacted into the hole. This ensured that the base for the mosaic was level. After the bottom was leveled, a layer of cement would be poured into the hole almost up to the level of the floor. When the cement began to dry the artist would draw an outline of the mosaic design into the cement with a sharp tool. If the cement had already hardened the artist would paint the design on the cement. Next, the cement would be covered with a thin mixture of limestone and water. On top of this mixture the tiny stone tiles would be set with great care, one next to the other. Great patience was required to make sure that the design was followed correctly. Mistakes were often made, particularly in symmetrical patterns. If workers became confused and used the wrong color of tiles the two sides of the design would not match.

Natural stone was used to create the mosaic tiles. Ironstone was used to make red and brown tiles. Limestone was used to make yellow and light brown tiles. Slate was used to make blue and black tiles. Chalk was used for the white tiles. A mosaic about the size of a modern living room, 15 feet by 9 feet, would need more than 120,000 separate pieces of tile for its completion.

Mosaic artists would often sign their work. Since it was too difficult to put their signature into the mosaic design, the artist would use a symbol, emblem or pattern to sign their work. This was also a good way for an artist to advertise. In England, where the Romans made many mosaics, 50 or so mosaics in one particular region have a little bird somewhere in their design. This bird was one artist's signature and he was apparently very busy and very popular.