Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this module students should be able to:
- identify the canonical works of sculpture from the period
- analyse their iconography in terms of attributes, style, and subject matter
- evaluate the relationship between sculpture and broader cultural and political trends
- interpret the programmatic meaning of sculpture groups and collections in a variety of architectural contexts
Indicative Module Content:
Canonical works and their reception, e.g. the Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere
Collection practices, the Roman art market, and the relationship between Greek originals and Roman copies
Display practices and cultural politics in Roman villa gardens, e.g. the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum
Mythological allegory in the iconography of public sculpture, e.g. the Prima Porta Augustus, or the Altar of Augustan Peace
Public sculpture in its architectural and urban setting, e.g. narrative reliefs and statue galleries
Key themes of public sculpture in the Imperial period, e.g. dynastic legitimacy, military conquest, and cultural identity
Funerary sculpture and the social history of non-elite citizens in Rome and the provinces