Transcript define propaganda - WORLD.ARTvisa

DEFINE
PROPAGANDA
What is the propagandistic message of this artwork? How is
this message visually communicated
Roman Government and Art
Context Review
 Appropriation: “Captive Greece made Rome Captive”
 Pragmatism: Where the greatest good and popular opinion
established the standard of art
 Propaganda: Power and authority of the Republican and
Imperial rulers / empires
 Utilitarianism: engineering, road building, public works to
manage government and Empire
 Eclecticism: A tolerant and open-minded approach to
differences
 Engineering: New technological innovations in building
including arch, vault, dome and concrete
Four Roman Contributions to
Architecture
 Building for use – a shift from religious building to
engineering for practical/public use, problems and
entertainment
 Developing the arch and vault – increase in scale
 Emphasis in verticality – made possible by use of
concrete, multi-use facilities like the forum market place
 Design of significant interiors – Romans treated the
play between light and space as significant
architectural elements
THE MANY USES OF THE ARCH
Arch
Barrel Vault
Cross Vault
Dome
The Pantheon
What are the facts? (F)
Architect: NA
Patron: Emperor Hadrian
Title: The Pantheon
Date: 120 CE
Period/Style: High Empire
Size: Monumental
Findspot: Rome
 There is very little ancient commentary on the
Pantheon
 No one knows who designed it or why Hadian had the
bronze lettering placed on it recognizing Agrippa as the
builder of an earlier temple on the site
 No one knows what sculptural work actually filled the
niches – usually assigned to planetary deities
 Pediment sculptures are completely lost and we don’t
know what the forecourt looked like or how it affected
how people approached the building
 We do not know the exact function of the building
 This building is nearly 2,000 years old and has gone
through significant changes. What types of changes do
you think occurred to the building that have stripped it
from its original context?
 It became Santa Maria della Rotund in 609 CE.
Scultpures of the new faith replaced the old
The Pantheon: Group
Discussion 5 Minutes
Group 1: Discuss questions 1, 2 and 3
Group 2: Discuss questions 4 and 5
Group 3: Discuss questions 6 and 7
Who was Hadrian?
 Chosen successor of Trajan
 A fellow Spaniard
 Lover or art
 Traveled to Greece – his portrait is reminiscent of Pericles – a classical
depiction of a mature bearded man
 We see his interest of Greek architecture reflected in the Pantheon but
also a departure
What type of floor plan is the
Pantheon
 CENTRALIZED – based
upon the circle
 Single, unified and
uninterrupted space with
niches for sculpture
 This type of plan was not
new to Romans – it was
used for their public baths
and Nero’s Golden house
 The proprtions of the
Pantheon are “harmonic” –
echoing Plato’s idea of the
harmony of the universe
Niche
What is the structure or
engineering system?
1. A poured concrete rotunda
2. Based upon intersection of a
vertical and horizontal circle
3. A drum and dome supported
by relieving arches
imbedded in thick walls
serving as a buttressing
system
4. Weight lessened by the
coffers and decreasing size
of the dome shell as it rises
THE MANY USES OF THE ARCH
Arch
Barrel Vault
Cross Vault
Dome
How did one enter the building?
 A colonnaded courtyard would have led the Romans
into the portico, from which the ascended steps into the
once elevated building
Describe the interior space
The vast interior space can be imagined as the
orb of the earth and the dome as the vault of the
heavens
Divided into 3 levels:
1st level is defined by columns and niches –
vertical columns fasten us to the ground
2nd level is the drum – it’s solidity upholds the
dome of the heavens. Square windows lessen it’s
solidity
3rd level the dome and oculus – the coffered
pattern, decreasing in size, leads the eye to the
oculus which lets in dramatic light. The
decreasing size also make the dome feel lighter
The floor is patterned with squares. The overall
scheme is a harmonious integration of circles and
squares
How is the interior
embellished or decorated?
 Marble interior. Exterior rotunda
originally covered in marble
 Bronze stars would have
originally adorned each coffer –
likening it to a heavenly sky
 The lighting from the oculus,
which would have illuminated
the the 7 planetary deities like a
heavenly searchlight adds a
dramatic flare that embellishes
interior space
How does one move around
the interior space
 CIRCUMBULATION:
Circulate the vast interior
space – niche to niche
 Uninterrupted circular path
is a Roman invention
 Circular shape and use of
natural light from the open
oculus Encloses people
without imprisoning them
What is the function of this building? How
do the visual qualities convey this function?
RELIGIOUS FUNCTION: The universal sphere (the
earth) is connected to the cosmos beyond by a perfect
circular oculus Dome is an image of the cosmos for
contemplation. IDEAL WORLD ORDER: Organized,
unified and harmonious like government
GOVERNMENT FUNCTION: Space for Roman Senate
Meeting – symbolic of meeting in harmony. Emporer
would have ruled religion and state. It is suggested that
the portico would have had a sculpture of Augustus and
the interior sculpture would have included a statues of
Julius Caesar
HW QUESTIONS
 WHY IS THE WORK SIGNIFICANT – HOW DOES IT
SPEAK FOR IT’S TIME / GENERATION?
 In what way do the visual qualities of the building
reflect the culture’s social, religious and /or
political values of the time, or the chief concerns of
this time?