Portraiture in the Age of Augustus

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Victoria StroudArt Survey ISmithersNovember 26, 2013

Portraiture in the Age of Augustus

During the reign of Caesar Augustus, a major medium through which

the population of the Roman Empire could view their great leader

was portraiture. It conveyed a specific message; one of power,

piety, or prosperity. For example, the head of Augustus Caesar

was often minted on coins.1 Though the sculpted portraits Via

Labicana Augustus and Augustus of Prima Porta that portray Augustus

differ in context and symbolism, both portray him as a strong and

benevolent leader because of his hand gestures, symbolic

garments, and humbled expression.

The Portrait of Augustus as General, or Augustus of Prima Porta was

comissioned in 15 CE by Tiberius, the adopted son and eventual

heir2 of Augustus. It is perhaps a marble copy of a bronze

original.3 Contrastingly, the Via Labicana Augustus was named for its

1 BBC, “Augustus (63 BC-AD 14),” accessed November 25, 2013, http://www.Bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/augustus/shtml.2 Ibid3. Museo Vaticanos, “Augustus of Prima Porta”, accessed November 8, 2013, http://mv.vatican.va/4_ES/pages/z-Patrons/MV_Patrons_04_03.html

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place of discovery on the Oppian Hill in Rome. It was discovered

at Augustus’ wife Livia’s villa there in 1910.4 It is also made

of marble.5 It is also called Augustus as Pontifex Maximus, which

literally means “high priest” and refers to the sort of

“character” he plays in this artistic work. It is believed to

have been created around 12 BCE6, perhaps to commemorate the

recent awarding of the title Pontifex Maximus.7 Both portraits of

Augustus are products of the Pricipate period of Early Imperial,

or Augustan, Rome.8 This period is named for the title Princeps,

which Augustus gave himself when he took power. The Principate

was a time of excellent administration despite a monarchy that

masqueraded as a Republic. It was a time of freedom, especially

for women, who could run businesses, be educated and compose

their own wills.9 This peace and prosperity under Augustus

4. Reed College Digital Collections, “Portrait of Augustus,” https://cdm.reed.edu/ara-pacis/altar/related-material/portrait-of-augustus/5. Bussagli, Marco, “Augustus as Pontifex Maximus, from the Via Labicana, Rome, Italy, detail of veiled head, right, three-quarter view,” University of Louisville Libraries, accessed November 9, 2013, http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/vrc/id/1438/rec/146. Ibid7. David Potter, Emperors of Rome: The Story of Imperial Rome from Julius Caesar to the Last Emperor (London: Quercus, 2007), 43.8. “Study Notes #11: Rome from Principate to Autocracy,” Sam Houston State University, http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/370mn11a.html 9. Ibid

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would last from 63 BCE to 14 CE.10 The Prima Porta portrait

portrays Augustus as a military victor and capable ruler11

considering the fact that he is dressed in almost complete armor,

including a cuirass. His cuirass, or “body armor” was a typical

part of a soldier’s wardrobe at the time, and most armor was made

by the metalworker Pistias.12 Specifically, his cuirass

commemorates the Roman victory over the Parthians of Iran13 and

the triumphant return of military standards in 19 BCE that were

taken as spoils of war.14 The sun and sky gods Sol (representing

the light that was to shine on the Roman Empire) and Caelus are

represented at the top of the cuirass. Also present are other

gods and goddesses that represent the Pax Romana. In fact, his

entire cuirass is said to “fortell” the Pax Romana. The deities

Diana and Apollo, along with the earth goddess Tellus, are

represented as well. She holds a cornucopia, a symbol of the 10 BBC, “Augustus”11. Sam Houston State University 12. Met Museum, “Front of a cuirass [Greek, Apulian]” (1992.180.3a) In HeilbrunnTimeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1992.180.3a. (October 2006)13. Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, “The Parthian Empire (247 B.C.-224 A.D.),”Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessed November 9, 2013,http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/part/hd_part.htm.14. Charles Brian Rose, “The Parthians in Augustan Rome,” American Journal of Archaeology 109.1 (January 2005): 22, accessed November 8, 2013, doi: 10.3764/aja.109.1.21

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abundance that Augustus would surely bring the empire.15 They

serve to remind the people that Augustus had the gods “on his

side.” Beneath the reliefs, the cuirass outlines Augustus’

masculine features, which recalls the clinging wet drapery of

most Greek and Roman portraiture. This parallels the drapery of

the Via Labicana Augustus, which is used to display an attitude of

humility and piety. Contrapositively, in his Prima Porta

portrait, Augustus wishes to reassure the citizens of Rome that

he will bring abundance and peace to the empire.The Prima Porta

Augustus is modeled after Polykleitos’ Doryphoros and stands in

the same contrapposto pose16 and even shares his bare feet17,

youthfulness and hairstyle, which are all symbols of immortality.

This, and the fact that Cupid stands at Augustus’ side, brings to

light his supposed lineage to the 18goddess of love, Venus. Cupid

rides a dolphin, which symbolizes Augustus’ naval victory against

Mark Antony in the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE. This very battle

15. Fred S. Kleiner, A History of Roman Art: Enhanced Edition, (Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010), 6816. Julia Fischer. “Augustus of Prima Porta,” Khan Academy: Smart History, accessed November 9, 2013,17. “Augustus of Prima Porta,” last modified October 2005, http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/interpretations/stance/18. “Statue of the Emperor August,” accessed November 10, 2013, http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=484 (Photo by: Sergey Sosnovskiy)

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would mark the beginning of his reign over the mighty Roman

Empire.19 Augustus possesses the sharp, ridged brows that were

characteristic of the Augustan style.20Augustus’ hand reaches out

in the ad locutio gesture, which is addressed to an audience and was

used in “orator” portraits. It would later become the “blessing

Christ” gesture.21 The Via Labicana Augustus is completely covered in

a toga. The fact that his head is covered suggests he is in the

middle of a religious ritual.22 It also shows his “reverence for

the ancient gods.”23 He once held an offering plate in his now

broken right hand and was in the process of making a sacrifice at

an altar. In his “A History of Roman Art”, Fred Kleiner

speculates that the body was carved by an apprentice, while the

head was carved by the master.24 While the Via Labicana Augustus

sports a full robe, Prima Porta Augustus has a tunic draped around

19. “Augustus of Prima Porta” (Julia Fischer)20 Ramage, Nancy H. and Diana E. E. Kleiner, “Head of the Statue,” MIT21. “Man the measure of things,” State University of New York (SUNY) Oneonta, accessed November 9, 2013,http://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/farberas/arth/arth200/Body/male_fig_anc_ren.htm22. Catherine de Grazia Vanderpool, “Roman Portraiture: The Many Faces of Corith,” Corinth, Vol. 20, Corinth, The Centenary: 1896-1996 (2003): 376, accessed November 9, 2013, 23. “Statue of the Emperor August,” accessed November 10, 2013, http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=484 24. Fred S. Kleiner, A History of Roman Art: Enhanced Edition, (Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010),69.

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his hips. A tunic came to be associated with Julius Caesar as a

diety and affiliates Augustus with him and “the divine world.”25

Via Labicana Augustus is missing both arms, but it was previously

stated that historians know the probable positions of them. Prima

Porta Augustus' original right hand has been lost to time, but was

later re-created. It is possible that the new hand is not an

exact replica, since historians have no idea what the original

looked like.26 Some historians believe the statue once had a

base, which was found near the atrium in the Villa of Livia in

Prima Porta. The statue would have greeted guests as they arrived

at the Villa through the atrium.27 Both the Via Labicana and Prima

Porta Augustuses are idealized, mostly because of his striking

beauty and youth. He has no wrinkles and even under his armor,

his muscular physique is plainly visible. His bare feet are

modeled after the young athlete Doryphoros created by Polykleitos.

Neither portraits are in their original locations. The Via Labicana

Augustus is now located in the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme of the

25. “Augustus of Prima Porta: The Robe of the Statue,” last modified October 2005, http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/description/robe/26 “Augustus of Prima Porta: The Hands of the Statue,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/description/hands27 “Augustus of Prima Porta: Location,” MIT, http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/interpretations/location

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National Museum of Rome.28 It is housed on the ground floor along

with the Gardens of Sallust.29 Augustus of Prima Porta is now

displayed in the Vatican Museum and is among their current

restorations.30 Augustus is represented in the "classicizing

Greek" style in the Via Labicana Augustus, which is similar to his

rendering on the Ara Pacis Augustae.31 Both are representational and

monochromatic in their current state.

Throughout the age of Augustus, portraiture was an important

tool in portraying a representation of him to future generations.

The use of symbolism, expression, and lasting materials has given

us hundreds of images of power, piety, and position that have

sparked historical debate for centuries.

28 “Augustus di Via Labicana,” Reed College: Digital Collections, accessed November 10, 2013, https://cdm.reed.edu/ara-pacis/altar/related-material/portrait-of-augustus/29 “National Roman Museum - Palazzo Massimo alle Terme,” accessed November 12,2013, http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/en/museums/national-roman-museum-palazzo-massimo-alle-terme30 “Restorations,” Vatican Museum, accessed November 11, 2013, http://mv.vatican.va/4_ES/pages/z-Patrons/MV_Patrons_04.html31 “Portrait of Augustus,” Reed College: Digital Collections, accessed November 10, 2013, https://cdm.reed.edu/ara-pacis/altar/related-material/portrait-of-augustus/

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Bibliography

Bussagli, Marco, “Augustus as Pontifex Maximus, from the ViaLabicana, Rome, Italy, detail of veiled head, right, three-quarter view.” University of Louisville Libraries. Accessed November 9, 2013. http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/vrc/id/1438/rec/14.

Galinsky, Karl and Fred S. Kleiner, Reed College: Digital Collections. “Augustus di Via Labicana.” Accessed November 10, 2013. https://cdm.reed.edu/ara-pacis/altar/related-material/portrait-of-augustus/.

Nancy Ramage, ed. “Augustus of Prima Porta: Stance,” MIT. Last modified October 2005, http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/interpretations/stance/

Klynne, Allan, Peter Liljenstolpe, and Jane Clark Reeder, MIT. “Augustus of Prima Porta: Location.” http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/interpretations/location.

Museo Vaticanos. “Augustus of Prima Porta.” Accessed November 8, 2013. http://mv.vatican.va/4_ES/pages/z-Patrons/MV_Patrons_04_03.html.

Potter, David. Emperors of Rome: The Story of Imperial Rome from Julius Caesar to the Last Emperor. London: Quercus, 2007.

Pappa, Nicholas C. J., Sam Houston State University. “StudyNotes #11: Rome from Principate to Autocracy.”

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http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/370mn11a.html.

Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. “Front of a cuirass [Greek, Apulian]” (1992.180.3a). http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1992.180.3a. (October 2006)

Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art, “The Parthian Empire (247 B.C.-224 A.D.),” Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Accessed November 9, 2013. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/part/hd_part.htm.

Rose, Charles Brian. “The Parthians in Augustan Rome,” American Journal of Archaeology 109.1 (January 2005): 22, accessed November 8, 2013, doi: 10.3764/aja.109.1.21

Kleiner, Fred S. A History of Roman Art: Enhanced Edition. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Fischer, Julia “Augustus of Prima Porta,” Khan Academy: Smart History, accessed November 9, 2013,

“Statue of the Emperor August,” accessed November 10, 2013. http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=484.

State University of New York (SUNY) Oneonta. “Man the measure of things.” Accessed November 9, 2013. http://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/farberas/arth/arth200/Body/male_fig_anc_ren.htm.

Vanderpool, Catherine de Grazia. “Roman Portraiture: The Many Faces of Corith,” Corinth, Vol. 20, Corinth, The Centenary: 1896-1996 (2003): 376. Accessed November 9, 2013.

Galinsky, Karl and Nancy Ramage, MIT. “Augustus of Prima

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Porta: The Robe of the Statue.” Last modified October 2005. http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/description/robe/.

“National Roman Museum - Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.” Accessed November 12, 2013. http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/en/museums/national-roman-museum-palazzo-massimo-alle-terme.

Vatican Museum. “Restorations.” Accessed November 11, 2013. http://mv.vatican.va/4_ES/pages/z-Patrons/MV_Patrons_04_03.html.

Reed College: Digital Collections. “Portrait of Augustus.” Accessed November 10, 2013. https://cdm.reed.edu/ara-pacis/altar/related-material/portrait-of-augustus/.

Ramage, Nancy and Diana E. E. Kleiner, MIT. “Augustus of Prima Porta: The Hands of the Statue.” http://web.mit.edu/21h.402/www/primaporta/description/hands.

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Doryphoros by Polykleitos

Via Labicana Augustus; (Also called Augustus as Pontifex Maximus)

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Augustus of Prima Porta, with original colors

Augustus of Prima Porta