Roman Art - Calypso Taylor
Roman art is the art of the ancient Roman civilization. It is difficult to put a date to its emergence, as Etruscan art had dominated the area for some time, and the earliest Roman art is difficult to recognize due to the heavy Etruscan influence. As Rome grew bigger and bigger, its art became more distinct, and drew its influence from neighboring cultures. The biggest influence was Hellenistic art. Plutarch claimed that before t came in contact with Greece, Rome knew nothing of elegance or beauty. Greece would remain the largest contributor to Roman art until the downfall of the Roman Empire.
The major mediums of Roman art were architecture, sculpture, painting, and mosaic. Some of the greatest developments came in the area of architecture. Rome developed concrete, the dome, the vault, and the arch, all of which allowed for much grander buildings, culminating in such enormous works as the Coliseum.
Rome was also the source of beautifully sculpted portrait busts, which took on a style that was far more realistic than that of the Greeks. Also popular were mural paintings. The Romans developed perspective techniques for landscapes that are still used.
The influence of Roman art was especially prominent during the Renaissance, and persists to this day in the techniques taught to artists.
Sources:
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/R/roman.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_art
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/art.htm
Image: http://www.feelvacation.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/colosseum-from-the-top.jpg
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Cultural Map
"The Original Topography of Manhattan Island from the Battery to 155th Street" From Report on the Social Statistics of Cities, Compiled by George E. Waring, Jr., United States. Census Office, Part I, 1886. (Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas-Austin)
