Introduction: Origins and Influences on Roman Art
Roman art developed from Hellenistic art and underwent many cultural and artistic influences. During the Hellenistic era, the Romans largely imitated Greek art, but they also absorbed aspects from Etruscan and Judaic art, creating a distinctive Roman art form. As the Roman civilization fused and assimilated elements from various cultures, syncretism played a part in creating Roman art.
Mythological Syncretism in Roman Art
For instance, the Roman god Jupiter was frequently shown in art as an older man with a beard. The Etruscan god Tinia is most likely the source of this artwork, which was eventually combined with the Greek god Zeus. Roman art adopted Jupiter as a popular theme, especially for sculptures and paintings. The idea of the oikoumene, or “inhabited world,” also affected Roman artists.”
The Stoic philosophers popularized this theory, stressing that all people and cultures are interrelated. Roman art frequently featured the oikoumene, especially in pathos or pietàs scenarios. These art pieces portrayed the idea that despite tragedy or suffering, there is hope and compassion because all individuals are connected by their shared humanity.
Cultural Adaptation and Patronage
Despite the complexity of art history, observing how the Etruscan and Judaic art movements affected Roman sculpture and painting is simple. For instance, Hellenistic artists were renowned for emphasizing form over content; they were concerned with producing beautiful pieces rather than necessarily ones that conveyed a message or had value. However, these same artists worked under Roman patronage when Rome conquered Greece in 238 BC. As Soltes points out in his lectures on the subject, this required them to alter their style to meet their patrons’ expectations slightly, and it was here that we first noticed the beginnings of change.
Evolution Toward a Distinct Roman Style
As Soltes says, “Roman artists followed Greek precedents so closely that they could be called ‘Greek-trained,’ but they worked within a new environment: they became Roman artists” (n.d.). This indicates that while there was still a clear preference for form over substance at this stage, there was also a greater emphasis on feeling, pathos, and pietàs, which ultimately resulted in a more distinctive Roman art form.
The Roman pietà is an essential work of art that shows how the particular Hellenistic art style gave way to the Roman art form. This sculpture blends Jewish and Hellenistic art elements and depicts the Virgin Mary holding her son, Jesus Christ’s, corpse. The pathos has a sorrow typical of Hellenistic art, and the Virgin Mary’s gesture of pietàs (compassion) toward her son is reminiscent of Jewish customs.
Examples of Cultural Blending in Roman Art
Roman art frequently incorporates elements of the art of the oikoumene to produce something fresh, specifically Roman. There are numerous instances of both Hellenistic and other cultural influences on the development of Roman art. The representation of the Pietà is one such instance. Around the same time as Michelangelo’s David was being made, Maarten van Heemskerck produced this statue.
In the Pietà, a woman is shown lamenting the loss of her son. The Pietà also displays Etruscan art influences because it was created from clay rather than marble, depicted a mother holding her infant above her head in a position that rendered her unable to support herself, and lacked an apparent authority or hands to indicate that she was in mourning for the loss of her child (Soltes, n.d.). Syncretism can also be seen in portrayals of individuals like Hercules, who frequently appears accompanied by animals or beings who are half-animal, half-human (Soltes, n.d.). This is because he possesses both human and animal characteristics.
Conclusion
Because of the synthesis of diverse cultural and aesthetic traditions, Roman art developed gradually from Hellenistic art. The illustrations show how the Romans incorporated and modified these inspirations to produce a special style of art that reflected the ideals of the Roman Republic and Empire.
Reference
Soltes, O.Z. (n.d.) “Hellenistic, Etruscan, and Early Roman Art” Lecture.