What is art and how is it used as a tool for communication? These multifaceted questions are answered by analyzing ancient and modern art. In the article “When Art Loses Its Sting: The evolution of Protest Art in Authoritarian Contexts” Jacqueline Adams explains how art captures the interest of sociologists. Art executes a unique duality in society. In both recent and ancient history, art has been used as propaganda. Now, contemporary art works to challenge or protest ideologies. Analyzing art provides an interesting insight: the art of today holds as much influence as it did in history. Art has not “lost its sting,” but rather gained a phenomenal impact. I am an art major who enjoys contemplating difficult questions. Perhaps this endeavor …show more content…
After military victory in Spain, he returned to Rome. Then the Roman Senate commissioned the Ara Pacis, also known as the Altar of Peace. This altar honored Augustus’ return from his successful military campaign. The altar is known for its magnificent friezes, or horizontal bands of sculpture. The north and south walls depict members of the empire, including the most important member: the first citizen of Rome: Augustus himself.. The east and west walls depict scenes of Roman Peace such as Rome’s most famous origin story. The founding of Rome is a traditional story about how Romulus and Remus (sons of the god of war, Mars) were suckled and nurtured by a she-wolf until a shepherd began to care for the boys. When the boys became men, they reestablished the city but the brothers fought amongst themselves. Romulus killed Remus, and the name of the city now refers to the brother who lived. By depicting the believed origin of Rome in stone, Augustus made the story canon. This was the story he wanted his people to …show more content…
By encouraging his citizens to adopt a constant idea as law, Augusts brainwashed his citizens. “Augustus’ presence was felt everywhere. His statues dominated public places… His image was stamped on every coin, and this reached the most remote corners of his domain.” (Faulkner) Rome depicted Augustus as a god-like leader and his message was: “Trust me. I am the creator of this great empire.” This image of godliness worked in contrast to all who opposed Roman ideologies. These peoples became known as barbaric and lawless. By creating vivid images of himself as a leader, Augustus managed to unite his followers. They became known as Roman when they followed their Emperor and his propaganda images.
Near the end of his life, Augustus boasts, “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.” (Gill) He claims he improved Rome through his building plans and art. Augustus left his mark by constructing magnificent structures like the Ara Pacis as well as objects for everyday use, like coins. He ensured his portrait existed in public spaces, and helped to unite his followers. We see a similar effect when the age of Communism rolls around. The Cold War gave rise to a new wave of
These decorations helped garner support for the campaigns and other military movements. The most impressive inscriptions used to be found on the the four back panels of the arch. Unfortunately, today the arch is in a poor state of preservation and many relief scenes are barely discernible. But, from what archaeologists have been able to figure out about the arch of Septimius Severus, its inscriptions contain a great deal of information about the Roman Gods. Also found in the Column of Marcus Aurelius, Mars the god of war seemed to be a particularly popular subject of decorative roman architecture. The smaller support columns on the outside of the Arch contained copious information about Mars, the God of war. The smaller arches also have keystones which are carved to represent Bacchus and Hercules, gods which Septimius Severus held in particular esteem. The higher panels are in better state of preservation than the rest of the arch due to flooding. The higher panels contain representations of many battles against the Parthians. They show many scenes showing Roman victories, battles, and feasts as well as other representations of the strength of the Roman Empire. Some other discernible panels show scenes such as the Liberation of Nibis, the battle of Edessa, one of the many surrenders of the
The religious and moral reforms that Augustus established used ideas such as making family and family honour the centre of life, promoting a return to the earlier ‘golden’ days of Rome, linking political corruption to lack of values and thus reinstituting a values system, rebuilding and re-staffing temples to ‘appease the gods and avert crises from the empire, and linking himself to religion through titles and his actions. These ideas were used in the intention of creating stability within the empire and thus creating prosperity. ...
This time is referred to as both Pax Romana and The Augustan Age (*) His policies focused on construction, expansion, and the propagation of his image. The Augustus Prima Porta, a statue of the emperor fresh from battle, is a primary example of the type of work Augustus used to keep the idea of “victorious leader” in everyone 's mind (*). It conveys strength and confidence in battle, and was distributed throughout the empire.
Augustus persuaded the Roman people and Senate through briberies that he was not all-powerful, but a good person. He wanted everyone to see him as no less than the average Roman person. Through Res Gestae written by Augustus, he shows his lavish gifts and the ways in which he declined the throne a few times to move away from becoming Julius Caesar regiment. However, many people such as Dio Cassius and Tacitus were not fooled by his ways and knew that he had a plan the entire time to have absolute power, similar to that of Caesar. The Senate and magistracies were weaker under Augustus’ rule because he had maintained the Senate powers in his own hands. Due to this, many people did not oppose him. In the end, Augustus formed a monarch and use discretion to not show the people and the Senate of his true tactics.
Public architecture in the late Republican period changed dramatically as Roman politics placed increased emphasis on conquest through expansion. Victorious generals often employed their own architects to build public monuments ex manubiis (Ward-Perkins 20). Julius Caesar constructed his Forum Iulium near the Forum Romanum while Pompey the Great constructed his Theatrum Pompei in the Campus Martius, and the complexes greatly impacted the status of the generals in Rome. Pompey and Caesar were in fact builder-generals, and they utilized the public nature of the complexes for their own ends. In merging religious cult with personal glory in the context of a public complex, they present such high-powered propaganda to the public that only increases their power as generals and Roman leaders. Pompey’s complex was so grand and monumental that it set the stage for those to come, like that of the Forum Iulium. Caesar’s complex, however, was even grander than that of Pompey as he affirmed his divine lineage throughout the entire space, making it extremely powerful. The Theatrum Pompei and Forum Iulium are examples of a larger theme in the late Republican period, where dictators like Caesar and Pompey demonstrate the use of a tool for orchestrating domination and separation from the lower class to maintain their position of power. Builder-generals like Caesar and Pompey set the true foundations of the political propaganda that would arrive in the Augustan period.
This was necessasy, as after Julius Caesar’s death, a period of civil wars ensued, where Augustus aimed to avenge Caesar’s death and consolidate his own role as principate. After this volatile period, Augustus implemented various reforms that brought peace and ‘good government’ to provinces. Eastern citizens showed their gratitude and loyalty in “a manner appropriate to local custom” (Hennessey, 1990). Henry Burton (1912), a credible historian, describes how the East had pre-established practices of placing divine honours onto living individuals that had syncretised from Hellenistic monarchs, including Alexander the Great, and Egyptian pharaohs. Through this, heroes of Rome such as Romulus, founder of the nation, were honoured as deities and considered of divine descent. It was therefore fitting for Augustus, who had founded a new and greater Rome, be “regarded as a god and accorded the same homage” (Burton, 1912). Thus, Augustus did not need to establish the cult, rather, enhance
Augustus was the first emperor of Rome and was the self proclaimed “Restorer of the Republic. “His ancestral values were monogamy, chastity and piety. Therefor he created many political reforms that would improve the roman society and create a new Roman Government. The reason for the reforms was to revive the traditional Roman religions. To succeed in this Augustus restored public monuments such as temples to the Gods and constructed many more. An example would be his construction of the Ara Pacis Augustine, which contained symbols and scenes of religious rites and ceremonies, as well as Augustus and his “ideal” Roman family, this was all meant to inspire Roman pride. After Augustus’s movement in religion, he sought to renew the practice
He erected monuments and public buildings all over the republic out of the need to convey ideals about himself and his family. These monuments and public buildings would be draped with works of art that portrayed the emperor in the most positive light possible. A particular example would be historical reliefs- sculpture carved or modelled against a background- Stewart (1971) defines them as ‘artistic posters’ that implicitly express imperial ideals. For example the Ara Pacis Augustae is a marble altar intricately bedecked with reliefs that are in accordance with Augustan values. One side of the altar depicts the emperor, his family, the senate and citizens in a sacrificial ritual and around another side are panels linked to war and peace, scenes from historical Roman myths and underneath an exuberant display of scenes of nature. The purpose of this edifice may be to put across a message of unification of the imperial family, the senate and the citizens. Augustus is presenting to his citizens the image of a unified Rome where no one held absolute power, understandable given the Romans distrust of kingships, but that it was a republic nation held together by the will of the
This article will discuss the influence of visual art on politics from two parts of visual arts , which are political photography and poster propaganda, through the unique social and historical stage of Nazi Germany. Additionally, it emphasizes the ideology, Nazis in Nazi Germany inflamed the political sentiment of the masses and took the visual art as their important instrument of political propaganda, while Nazi party used visual art on anti-society and war which is worth warning and criticizing for later generation. Despite an emphasis on the ideology, this article will conclude with significant application for the long-term impact of Nazi
Religion was deeply intertwined with Roman traditions, and therefore was incorporated as a key aspect in many of their stories, with Romulus and Remus posing as no exception. The religious highlights of their tale stems from their birth, by which both brothers were “sprung from the gods” (Langhorne 49). While the story of their birth does render a degree mystery, it also does absolve a part of the latter. The divinity associated with the birth of the founders shows not only the importance of religion in ancient Rome, but also justifies the actions of its founders as their decisions were acted upon and with religious basis. The notion that Rome was a city that was essentially created by those who had a hand in creating the world, amplified the power and esteem Roman citizens had with regards to their city.
“Philosophers, writers, and artists expressed disillusionment with the rational-humanist tradition of the Enlightenment. They no longer shared the Enlightenment's confidence in either reason's capabilities or human goodness.” (Perry, pg. 457) It is interesting to follow art through history and see how the general mood of society changed with various aspects of history, and how events have a strong connection to the art of the corresponding time.
The use of art forms and sculpture as a means of conveying a message to its viewers has been rooted deep into culture throughout human history. Imagery has carved political views and depictions of society’s circumstances into permanent marks of antiquity. From the Ancient Roman architecture and sculpture to the 1900’s emergence of media in politics, we have continued to express our views, hardships, and culture in permanent ways, and use art as an intricate form of manipulation and persuasion. In the ancient times, the Romans used sculpture to portray individuals of power, such as Augustus, to mark a political ideology by making powerful figures look more pristine and perfect on a godly level. They would portray the unattainable perfection
The myth of Romulus and Remus, as well as the myth of Aeneas contribute to the emergence of Rome and its people. Romulus and Remus are credited with founding of the city of Rome itself, while Aeneas was credited with the founding of the Roman race (Ott, 105). The history of Rome cannot be told without both of these myths being a part of the story. Each has both similarities and vast differences to the other. When Gods are involved punishment and reward seem to go hand-in-hand.
The statue Augustus of Primaporta was not only used to convey the likeness of the Emperor Augustus to his people across the Roman Empire, it was also interspersed with symbols and messages about the ruler’s ideals and power. It was distributed throughout the empire as propaganda for Augustus and as a declaration of the new era he intended to bring about. This strategic imagery and its successfulness in conveying the greatness of its commissioner influenced many successive leaders around the world to command similarly symbolic likenesses to be made of themselves, such as Trajan in the second century CE.
For over two thousand years, various philosophers have questioned the influence of art in our society. They have used abstract reasoning, human emotions, and logic to go beyond this world in the search for answers about arts' existence. For philosophers, art was not viewed for its own beauty, but rather for the question of how art and artists can help make our society more stable for the next generation. Plato, a Greek philosopher who lived during 420-348 B.C. in Athens, and Aristotle, Plato’s student who argued against his beliefs, have no exceptions to the steps they had to take in order to understand the purpose of art and artists. Though these two philosophers made marvelous discoveries about the existence of art, artists, and aesthetic experience, Plato has made his works more controversial than Aristotle.