Analysis Of A Roman Sculpture Terracotta "Bust Of A Man"

Name: Professor’s Name: Course: Date: Roman Analysis The portrait above is a Roman sculpture terracotta, a sculpture made in earthenware, representing the Bust of a man. It is a life-size portrait of a man believed to be based on a death mask accounting for the individualized features of a mature man. The art is reputed to have been a study of a marble or bronze bust. According to Warren’s records, the sculpture was found somewhere beyond Pozzuoli and this side Cumae by 1901. It was later purchased from him, Edward Perry Warren, by MFA, Museum of Fine Arts in December 1901. What material is the object made out of? The material used in making the Roman sculpture is unknown. However, there were many theories which were used to discover what the statue was made out of. Some historians have tried to connect the sculpture to the Roman death masks such as the fervor or enthusiasm which the Greek historian Polybius describes in his accounts to identify the material used in making the object. While quoting Chase and Caskey, Murley (236) opines that “the sculpture was created from a mold taken from the face of a live subject.” However, Kleiner (1992) disputed the claims made above and stated the sculpture was “too animated” to be centred on a cast and appeared to be a “bozzetto,” an initial prototype of a “more finished work of bronze or marble.” Another theory used in identifying the material used in making the art was suggested by Fejfer (2008) who questioned the use of terracotta in that portrait. A close analysis of the art reveals that the artist adeptly retouched the object by adding clay and using model instruments in the hair and the pupils. What does the object depict? The object is a Roman sculpture depicting the life-size portrait of a man and it is vastly believed to be based on a death mask. Death masks were thought to serve different purposes in Rome. For instance, they were used in remembering those who had passed on. They were also used as a way or means for the living to reconnect with the past. It also shows that the object was made out of bronze to preserve it for future generations since bronze is ranked among the most excellent works of antiquity and it produces better casting as well as having superior tensile strength. What is the significance of what is depicted? The depiction signifies the essence and value of art in ancient Rome. Art in Rome was used to show how well people knew themselves. Compared to other societies, Rome was more civilized and advanced, and thi...