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Augustus of the Prima Porta (view source)
Revision as of 04:03, April 12, 2007
, 04:03, April 12, 2007New page: Possibly the most famous statue of a Roman leader, the "Augustus of the Prima Porta" is a statue that was discovered in the villa of Livia, the wife of Augustus, in Prima Porta...
Possibly the most famous statue of a [[Roman]] leader, the "Augustus of the Prima Porta" is a statue that was discovered in the villa of [[Livia]], the wife of [[Augustus]], in Prima Porta. It is now displayed in the [[Vatican Museum]].
== Relevance ==
The statue, although scientifically [[radiocarbon dating|carbon dated]] to later in Augustus' reign, is the typification of the image that Augustus sought to project following the [[Constitutional Settlement]] of 27 B.C., and in fact the portrayal of Augustus' facial structure informs modern knowledge of all portraiture of the "Augustan Age." It marks the shift from the portrayal of Augustus as the boy [[Octavian]] - emphasizing his youth, purity, and linkage to the "deified [[Julius Caesar]]" - to a portrayal of the strong, powerful young man that would rule the first years of the [[Roman Empire]]. Prima Porta-style portraits can be seen on the [[Ara Pacis Augustae]] and almost any coin minted by Augustus after 27 B.C.., underscoring its importance.
== Symbolism ==
Augustus' hair is styled in the typical [[Greek]] fashion, a departure from the Roman ascetic ideal pushed by both [[Catos|Cato the Elder]]. It is somewhat of a concession to [[Hellenism]] and its rising influence on Roman culture, and as such is typical of Augustus' (limited) adoption of Hellenistic art and architecture.<ref>''cf.'' the [[Palatine Complex]], ''contra'' [[Romulus|the Hut of Romulus]]</ref> This is the hairstyle, for instance, which [[Alexander the Great]] is depicted with. The similarity cannot be coincidence.
The metal [[cuirass]] emphasizes Augustus' military prowess - questioned during the [[Battle of Phillipi]], but seen as vindicated after the [[Battle of Actium]], a legacy and image that Augustus deliberately perpetuates with the cuirass' usage. It portrays several significant events in the Augustan era - first and foremost, the return of the [[Partian Standards]], a crowning moment of Augustus' later reign.
== References ==
Zanker, ''The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus''
== Relevance ==
The statue, although scientifically [[radiocarbon dating|carbon dated]] to later in Augustus' reign, is the typification of the image that Augustus sought to project following the [[Constitutional Settlement]] of 27 B.C., and in fact the portrayal of Augustus' facial structure informs modern knowledge of all portraiture of the "Augustan Age." It marks the shift from the portrayal of Augustus as the boy [[Octavian]] - emphasizing his youth, purity, and linkage to the "deified [[Julius Caesar]]" - to a portrayal of the strong, powerful young man that would rule the first years of the [[Roman Empire]]. Prima Porta-style portraits can be seen on the [[Ara Pacis Augustae]] and almost any coin minted by Augustus after 27 B.C.., underscoring its importance.
== Symbolism ==
Augustus' hair is styled in the typical [[Greek]] fashion, a departure from the Roman ascetic ideal pushed by both [[Catos|Cato the Elder]]. It is somewhat of a concession to [[Hellenism]] and its rising influence on Roman culture, and as such is typical of Augustus' (limited) adoption of Hellenistic art and architecture.<ref>''cf.'' the [[Palatine Complex]], ''contra'' [[Romulus|the Hut of Romulus]]</ref> This is the hairstyle, for instance, which [[Alexander the Great]] is depicted with. The similarity cannot be coincidence.
The metal [[cuirass]] emphasizes Augustus' military prowess - questioned during the [[Battle of Phillipi]], but seen as vindicated after the [[Battle of Actium]], a legacy and image that Augustus deliberately perpetuates with the cuirass' usage. It portrays several significant events in the Augustan era - first and foremost, the return of the [[Partian Standards]], a crowning moment of Augustus' later reign.
== References ==
Zanker, ''The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus''