Portrait of a Roman Man

myminifactory

Through ancient Greek art we witness the emergence of idealized portrayals that aim to capture truth by telling stories, thus creating beauty. Beauty serves as a catalyst for ideals to be unveiled. However, with the rise of Roman influence, there is a notable shift in the representation of real human contours and characteristics, even if unflattering, which is evident in Roman sculpture. Specifically, in relation to portrait sculpture, an ideal divergent from the one encountered in Greek Classicism comes into play. Rather than generalizing a human face by smoothing out its imperfections and capturing it in a moment of detached abstraction, this new Roman idealization places emphasis on---rather than suppresses---the unique characteristics of each individual. This mode is predominantly seen in bust portraits of Roman patricians.