GRAPHIC DESIGN HISTORY: ROMAN ART

The Last Judgment in the Church of Santa Cecilia, Rome

Pietro Cavallini was an Italian painter and mosaic designer working during the late Middle Ages, the Roman Art era. Little is known about his biography, though it is known he was from Rome, since he signed pictor romanus. His first notable work were the fresco cycles for the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura, with stories from the New and Old Testament in year 1277 to the year 1285. However, they were destroyed by the fire of 1823. His Last Judgment in the Church of Santa Cecilia in Rome, painted c. 1293 and considered Cavallini’s masterwork, demonstrates an artistic style known as Roman naturalism.

Realism style

Type of style that has been used in Roman art is Realism. Like the Romans themselves, early Roman art (c. 510 BCE to 27 BCE) tended to be realistic and direct. Portraits, both two-dimensional and three-dimensional were typically detailed and unidealized, although later during the age of Hellenistic-Roman art (c.27 BCE to 200 CE). The romans became aware of the propaganda value of busts and statuary. Painting styles in ancient Rome were bright and colourful with the techniques which the colours were applied are quite complex.

The base of the paintings clearly had to be perfectly clean and smooth. This was to obtained through repeated layering of plastering and fine sand which can be polished with a fine layer of marbles dust that is rendered compact and hard. The surface would then be dampened before the colors could be applied. The color would be absorbed into smoother compact but porous. The finished painting then would be polished to a shiny finish probably through the application of oils and final wax seal. A rough drawing could be scratched on top of the plaster for the more difficult figures and forms before applying the paint.

Greek statue and Roman statue

Romans art grows out of Etruscan art and has a close resemblance to Greek art. During the Roman Republic (500 BC), Roman statues are made to be realistic, a total opposite of Greek statues which has an idealistic approach. About 200 BC, Roman art style changes when they begin conquering Greece. The Roman soldiers bring home a lot of Greek art during their conquest, either by buying or stealing it. Greek sculptors are usually brought to Rome as slaves, serving under the Roman Republic by creating more art for them. Roman art continues to get influenced by Greek elements, and art often used as propaganda by the emperors. Examples are the Arch of Titus and Trajan’s Column. 

The Roman Empire, Rome

The Roman Empire was one of the greatest and most influential civilizations in the world history. It began in the city of Rome in 753 BC and lasted for well over 1000 years. During that time, Rome grew to rule much of Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa.

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