blog#7. Roman and Early christian.

Sculpture portraits of Roman imperial were very accurate and faithful portraits of individuals. Roman patrons in the republican period admired realistic portraits, and sculptors delivered leader as the power of person or symbol of spiritual power. For example, “Head of a Man (known as Brutus)” conveys strong, broad face with its heavy brows, firmly set lips, and wide open eyes. Lucius Junius Brutus was a founder and first consul of the Roman Republic. The sculpture represents very strong characteristics of him and great strength of purpose as the ancient hero. Furthermore, Roman artists of the Augustan age created a new style, a Roman form of idealism. The sculpture represented idealization of a specific ruler and imperial portraiture for propaganda. The sculpture, “Augustus of Primaporta” also illustrates the historical idealistic individual portrait. Augustus was a vigorous young ruler so he’s depicted as the image of muscular warrior figure like Greek idealistic sculpture as.  However, I think that the sculpture, ”Commodus as Hercules” conveys twisted silly leader feature. In this sculpture he took off the dress of a Roman emperor and took to wearing a lion skin over his head and carrying the club in his right hand and the golden apples in his left hand. And two cornucopiae are full of fruit hold up the bust. As the supposed reincarnation of Hecules and the incarnation of the god Jupiter, he even appeared in the arena to display his physical ability. But no painting in this eye and it also makes weak as well. I guess he wanted to hide his weakness and appear powerful and strength by using the sculpture. On the other hand, the portrait head of Caracalla looks stern and fierce man by using fine lines and contrast of the light. I feel like this sculpture is more strong and powerful than Commodus one. I guess that detail of the Caracalla’s eyes and face makes powerful ruler. Even it shows his wrinkles on his face and mustache. Unlike the Commodus one, Caracalla bust has only face part. But I only can feel the powerful and virile things in the Caracalla’s bust. In the Commodus bust, I cannot feel the powerful and virile through his face but lion skin helps it. But the Commodus one looks more luxurious.

Sculpture was a powerful source of political propaganda that generations of rulers used. They modelled themselves in stone, the bringers of peace and prosperity, and later even in the image of gods. The sculptures are also used to commemorate specific events and to remind the people of their Emperor’s military skills. I think that both of sculptures show the rules’ ability and character through their appearance. The sculpture of Commodus and Caracalla looks different but both of them are similar in portray propaganda. Commodus wanted to show as a God with wearing lion skin by showing powerful ruler. Also, the sculpture of Caracalla shows that powerful hard worker ruler. The sculptures appear their character and ability about lead as well. I guess that their looking might help them as a tool of political propaganda.