Introduction. Some general observations on Greek and Roman imagery and its study -- Greek painting: tableware from Athens -- Roman painting: interior walls at Pompeii -- Greek sculpture: gravestones at Smyrna -- Roman sculpture: sarcophagi with mythological motifs -- Greek and Roman sculpture in the public sphere: a temple building in Athens and a funerary monument in Rome -- Synthesis with conclusions.
Summary:
"This book provides an enquiry into the distinguishing traits of Greek and Roman figural imagery. A detailed analysis of materials, representing a wide range of media, convey an understanding of the figural imagery of classical antiquity as a whole, counterbalancing studies conducted on single genres. Through in-depth studies of six major production categories - Greek painted pottery, Roman decorated walls, Greek gravestones, Roman sarcophagi, Greek and Roman official sculpture, and Greek and Roman coins - the reader gains insights into the primary media of classical figural imagery. The images are explored within their contextual frameworks, paying attention to both functional purposes and pictorial traditions. Image-viewer relations offer a perspective that is maintained across the chapters. The bottom-up approach and the many genres of imagery discussed provide the basis for an extensive synthesis. Lavishly illustrated with over 100 images, Excursions into Greek and Roman Imagery provides a valuable resource for students of classical antiquity and history of art. The book also offers classical scholars, museum curators, and others interested in classical art a fresh approach to the figural imagery of antiquity"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.