Roman Italia

(Italo-Roman art, 1-3rd c. A.D.)

Stone Relief

1. Velletri sarcophagus detail showing Hercules restoring Alcestis from hell, c. 150 A.D. (Velletri, Mus. Civ.) Plebian taste seen in an eschatological obsession with love transcending death. Note that the word "plebeian" in such a discussion of aesthetics does not imply a lower status in the citizen body, but local popular tastes that influenced everyone, regardless of their status. A sarcophagus like this would be carved only for the top Italo-Roman aristocracy.

2. Stone relief of goatherd milking a goat under a wicker lean-to shelter. Italy, ca. 270 A.D. (Rome: Muz. Naz.) There is a bird's eye perspective to enhance narrative goal at expense of naturalism. The large head in relation to the rest of the body is a feature of the Italo-Roman figure style.

Metalwork

	1. Italo-Roman bronze ornamental harness attachment representing a battle scene. Piedmont, 2-3rd c. A.D. (Aosta, Mus. Arch.) While there is a Hellenistic formal correctness, there are plebian influences as well, as seen in the unnatural proportions used to convey importance or emotion; incorpration of the terrified barbarian at lower right to express emotion in an area outside official space.
	2. Italo-Roman bronze fragment of ornamental harness attachment, showing a fleeing barbarian. 2-3 c. A.D. (Bologne: Mus. Coman.) The stumpy figure style, based on a tectonic building up of masses, reflects a plebian indifference to the Graeco-Roman concern for surface beauty. The fleeing barbarian theme offered an opportunity to reconcile plebian emotional tastes with ideological correctness.