Art

Since the beginning of the existence of civilizations, people have been engaged in creating something that would help them make their lives better. From the creation of early tools that made life easier to the invention of weapons to protect themselves from their enemies, there has been a diversity of works that is still used today. Simultaneous to the creation of these tools was the conceptualization of aesthetics, an ideology of what is good to the eye and what is not, or what is beautiful and what is not. From these idealizations people became more creative and are pulled more towards creating and inventing something that is beautiful and has some significance and value to themselves, and it is now what we call art.

Art is the combination of elements such as space, line, shape, texture and colour. When these elements are combined correctly, it would result to something that is beautiful. Art has been part of the history, from the Mesopotamians who created the first known written script to the various works of art created by world-renowned artists like Felippo Brunelleschi, Massacio, Jan Van Eycke, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Some of the most popular works of art are created by the ancient Romans. They have been able to establish themselves in Europe, overthrowing the Greeks as the centre of power. And as the centre of power, they are famous in practically every aspects of human life, including art.

Rome was said to be founded by Romulus and Remus, the famous twins of the ancient civilization (Ruhl 5). The city grew from a small village to a city that is known for its great and powerful rulers. Bandinelli stated that its social structure was divided into two the elite which are comprised of people with great economic and political status like Emperors, Lords and Senators and non-elite that includes peasants, farmers and artisans, which comprises the majority of the population (Center 13). Each of the two classes has their own view on various works of art.

Painting is one of the most popular work of art. A large collection of artifacts can be attributed to Pompeii and Herculaneum, preserved after Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 A.D. Most of these paintings were made in secco style but some are also made using fresco style. Many Roman paintings served as interior design. But some of these artworks were found to be copies of early Greek art. Only about 200 years worth of paintings were preserved out of Romes 900-year history. Paintings feature various types of themes from different subjects and even scenes from their daily lives. One of the themes that the Romans became interested of is landscape. The basic forms of landscapes used were that of nature, usually gardens with beautiful flowers and trees. Some landscape paintings showed fields and terrains as viewed from the top of a hill or a view from the mansions up above the level of ground. Other landscapes that were painted were the architectural ingenuity of the Roman engineers, buildings and structures that were made to depict Romes greatness (Bandinelli Late 87). Roman painters also became interested in painting the portraits of famous Roman figures like Emperors, men from the Roman military and people with great intellectual achievements. This has become the major themes used by the Romans throughout their paintings.

One of the most interesting landscape paintings is the Boscotrecase painted by Pompeii. It shows a scene from an elevated portion of land with some people and animals, a tree at the center, and at the background were different buildings and structures of the Roman Empire standing up high the hills. The painting Boscoreale, a scene of a royal place during the height of the Roman Empire showing the pillars and supports made of gold and ivory, and the leaf that became the symbol of the Emperors, also became one of the paintings that showed the wealth of the Roman Empire. Another elite painting made was showing Giuseppe Garibaldi defending Rome against the French attack, showing the strength of the Roman army. The Severan Tondo, painting of the imperial family, is one good example of Roman portraiture. The Romans of the elite class viewed paintings with great passion. For them, looking at these paintings serves as a form of relaxation, finding pleasure in every piece presented in front of them. They look at every aspect of the piece. Every detail of the painting will affect on how the elites would view each masterpiece (Clarke 41). For them, paintings are means of showing and maintaining their superiority and authority. Paintings are used to have a picture of what they have done and what they have achieved, just like a triumphal painting which shows victories of the Emperors and leaders against their enemies to gain more compliments and recognition (Clarke 18). It also serves as a reminder of their heroic acts. They also view painting as a way to release all the thoughts they have in mind. To some elites, finding a perfect place is the first step to making an incredible piece of art. It allows them to find the subject that is best fitted with their thoughts. Others based their thoughts on their past experiences. Paintings brought them a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction (Clarke 19). Because of these factors, the elite have had a positive view on painting as an art.

Due to the social structure of ancient Rome, the elites are the ones more drawn to painting. They are the ones more capable of doing an artwork and enjoying it. The non-elite, on the other hand, are not much drawn to these things. They have little opportunity to engage in such works. They focus more on doing what they do best- working hard for themselves and for their landlords and surviving the fate of their class. The non-elites view paintings as an expression of their feelings and ideas, ideas that they cannot directly enunciate to their superiors, especially the elites. Paintings also became a means of showing the real situation of the lower class, especially their sufferings. It has also become an indirect expression of the real events that happen to the non-elites, especially those who have the talent of painting but are not brave enough to prove their points. At some point in time, these reasons gave non-elites gave non-elites the ideology to assert power, to rise from the grave (Clarke 168). But these ideas were only dreams. They have no way to overpower their great leaders. Like the elites, the non-elites view paintings as a reminder of what their leaders have achieved for their Empire.

Romans are also known for their sculptures with great details and complexity. These 3-dimensional artworks are usually carved out of marble, a hard crystalline metamorphicrock which is also used as a building material. Creating a sculpture takes time and it needs great concentration. A great imagination of the subject, usually an image of a man, is also needed to create a good visual art. Most of the Roman sculptures, like paintings, are sculptures of Gods, famous philosophers and scientists, and great leaders. Most of the great leaders are Generals and Kings  the people who made great steps in making Rome a powerful and invincible city. The most famous of these sculptures were that Diocletianus, Julius Caesar, Nero, Remus and Romulus. Some of the sculptures show the whole body while others show only the head. Other sculptures were the Roman Gods and Goddesses, like Venus, Neptune, Pluto, Jupiter and Vulcan. They were representative of the Roman Empires great power and rich history. Although a few of sculptures came from the non-elite class, majority of Roman sculpture came from the elite class. Sculptures symbolize power, bravery, courage and knowledge, and there are no other people more powerful, brave, courageous and knowledgeable than the elite class. One of the known Roman sculpture is that of Augustus. The sculpture shows Augustus holding a spear and standing straight implying that he is a powerful emperor and that every Roman should bow to him. This has become the common representation of a sculpture. An Emperor is not known for his contributions to the majority of the population. He has become a symbol of corruption and violence. But Constantine, on the other hand, was not known for his violent rule  an attitude not common to Roman Emperors. He was recognized for his contributions to Christianity, especially his efforts to spread the religion throughout the city (Wilie 10).

Even tombs are important works of art. They are carved out of special materials to lengthen its life span. These tombs, like the tombs of Egyptian leaders, are meant to last to let later generations know of their greatness, power and achievements. Another interesting theme of Roman sculpture is a battle scene. One of the most noticeable is the Column of Trajan  a column of 2500 individual parts connected together to demonstrate how mighty the Romans are. It also showed early Roman military equipments and costumes- the basics in a military warfare. This artwork has become one of the greatest treasures of the ancient world.
On the other hand, the non-elite class view these sculptures as a sign of social discrimination. Since the elite class were the ones more exposed, they are the ones who became famous and gain others respect. Only the elite have the right and the opportunity to let their faces or their body be carved out of special materials to symbolize themselves. The non-elite also view this type of artwork as a sign of injustice. People were given unequal opportunity to do things they deserve. They live in a place and time where only the rich and the famous grab it all. Some of the known Roman sculptures were damaged during the fall of Rome. But some surviving sculptures, through the efforts of preservationists, were preserved and are now in good hands. It can usually be seen in museums and art galleries throughout Italy and the whole Europe.

Another important contribution of the Romans is their works on architecture. It is in this field that the Romans produced a variety of innovations. Since the Romans were able to capture many cities and urbanized areas, Roman engineers were able to find new methods in building structures in a large scale (Hodge 45). Huge structures like the Parthenon and the Colosseum cannot be created using the previous methods of building. Concrete was the material that became the foundation of every building erected throughout the city. Roman engineers were able to maximize the use of the material due to its availability, high strength and low cost. The use of arches and domes also enabled Roman engineers to create more complex structures. It gave those structures more space and allowing more audience. Examples of these structures were the  Pantheon, the  Baths of Diocletian, and the Baths of Caracalla. These creations of early Roman engineers became the inspiration of Italian architects of the Renaissance. Roman structures are also built with great details and complexity like their sculptures. Every structure was designed according to its purpose. One good example was the Colosseum. The purpose of the structure is for entertainment (Clarke 153). It was used for circus shows. It was the place for mock battles and the place where the famous gladiators fought for their lives. The building is for the general audience. The elite and non-elite class were able to attend at the venue and be entertained by the entertainers. It was for pure entertainment. It satisfied every Romans taste for pleasure and fun. They even forgot about the importance of life. Their acts do not satisfy their cardinal virtues  wisdom, justice and reason. They forgot about the importance of life. Even Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus was able to enjoy the majesty of the structure he ordered to be built. The peak of Roman architecture came at the time of Trajan (98  117 A.D.) and Hadrian (117-138 A.D.). Due to Romans ingenuity and the availability of materials, Roman structures became so effective that it lasted so long and some of those structures can still be seen today.

One of the most enormous productions of the Roman art is pottery- a craft of moulding ceramic from clay and baking it in a kiln. Roman pottery can be found anywhere in the Roman Empire and even beyond its boundaries. Monte Testacciois is rich in amphorae, a jar with two handles and a narrow neck, mainly used in storing liquids like wine and oil which is the main fuel for lighting. Mainly, Roman pottery is of fine composition. The most common of these is the red gloss ware, or terra sigillata. It has a glossy, red finish usually serving as a table pottery. But some of the elite class used silver or gold as the material to be symbols of their wealth and fame. Expensive potteries, the type of Roman elite class, are copied from the original metal works and are mainly used for decorative purposes (Hodge 98).

Potteries of the non-elite class were commonly made locally and with inferior quality. They are often referred to as coarse ware because it relatively consists of large particles and lack or refinement thus making it rough to touch. But somehow, non-elites are able to create pottery, like the oil lamps, with great refinement became a common tool used by the Romans.

Another art that the ancient Romans became interested in is mosaic. Mosaic is an art of making a design out of small materials with different colours, usually stones or glasses. Romans have always been interested in combining materials to form interesting looks and patterns. They have been said to create the most perfect of ancient potteries anywhere in the world. Sandstone in the beaches has been the fascination of young Romans and from these materials they create something that would look like a mosaic. The walls of some Roman houses have been embedded with small pieces of stone.

Elite Romans find mosaic as a hobby and a form of relaxation. Some of them used mosaic for decorative purposes. The non-elite class mainly used pottery as a form of income-generating work. They sell their creations to the rich in exchange for money or gold or any type of precious metal. Its another way for them to survive. But generally, Romans find mosaic as attractive and pleasing to the eyes.

Art has played a vital role in the evolution of the Roman Empire. In its 900- year history, Romans were able to establish themselves not only through war but also through art. It symbolized its history, from the type of clothes they wear, the utensils they used, to the sculptures of themselves and the tombs their bodies were laid when they died. Roman art has become one of the foundations of various works of art of modern times. Though most of the Roman arts were copied from the Greeks, many of the known artworks today were proved to have originated from the Romans. The conception of art has also become a philosophy. Ideals of every artist have some relation with his ideologies. The most important contribution of art is that it has symbolized Roman existence and made Rome as the centre of power.

Elite and non-elite Romans came from the same ancestors with same race and same culture. But their views on the different works of art, the elites who are those with perfect lives, with all the power and might and the authority they had in mind, for them, works of art are important because this is their way of showing the things they have done and achieved just to show how great they are. For them, works of art are simply a means to maintain their authority. But for the non-elites, works of art play an important role in their lives because this is an avenue to sustain their lives. For them, works of art is life because without these various works of art, they will never be able to show their superiors what they have been and what they are still going through. But the most important thing is that even though they differ in social, economic and political status, they view works of art with great sentiment and passion.