Essay About Roman Art And Wall Space

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Romans were collectors and admirers of Greek art. Art from Greece was brought to Rome, copied, and also changed
by the Romans. As a result, Roman art is somewhat based on Greek art. However, Roman art is not merely a
continuation of Greek art. For an amateur it is difficult to determine between the two art forms because neither the
Romans nor the Greeks wrote down the history of their own art. The characteristics pertaining to each particular
type of art are known to some extent, so the experts are relatively accurate in determining the separation of the two
types of art. Roman art is divided into four categories: portrait sculptures, paintings and mosaics, relief sculptures,
and statues. Each of these has its own characteristics. Portrait sculptures, designed by the Romans, shows the desire
of the Romans for literalness; it records even the homeliest features. This is demonstrated in the sculpture, Head of
A Roman, made of marble in 80 B.C. The artist painstakingly reported each rise and fall and each bulge and fold of
the entire facial surface. It was as if the artist was acting like a map maker, trying not to miss the slightest detail. The
end product was a blunt, bald record of features. Idealism nor improvement of features was done causing the feeling
of superrealism. Paintings and mosaics were influenced by the architecture of the Romans . Their architecture
consisted of buildings containing a small number of doors and windows, thus leaving considerably large stretches of
wall space suitable for decoration. The quality was determined by the importance and the wealth of the patron. The
walls were used for two things in Roman art. First, they were used as a barrier. Secondly, they were used to visually
open the wall and enhance the space of the room. Only certain colors were used. These were deep red, yellow,
green, violet and black. Two methods were used to prepare walls for painting. In one, plaster was compounded with
marble dust, then laid directly on the wall in several layers. It was eventually beaten smooth with a trowel until it
became dense. Finally, it was polished to a marble finish. The wall was then ready to be painted with water colors or
encaustic paints. The other method, called panel painting, consisted of stucco being applied to boards of cypress,
pine, lime, oak, and larch. Then water colors, obtained from minerals and animal dyes were applied. The painting
was then mounted to cover a wall. These methods were used throughout the years to produce paintings. Although
the style of the paintings on the walls changed during the years, the methods used to prepare the walls basically
stayed the same. There are four styles of painting Incrustation, the first style, was used from 200 to 60 B.C. Walls
were divided into bright polychrome panels of solid colors with an occasional textural contrast. In the years 60 to 20
B.C. the second style, the architectural style, was used. This method made a wall look as if it extended beyond the
room, but it wasnt systematically perspective. In the years 20 B.C. to A.D. 60, the third style, the ornate style, was
used. This method subdivided a wall