Ancient Roman Sculpture - Religious and Funerary Art

Religious and Funerary Art

Religious art was also a major form of Roman sculpture. A central feature of a Roman temple was the cult statue of the deity, who was regarded as "housed" there (see aedes). Although images of deities were also displayed in private gardens and parks, the most magnificent of the surviving statues appear to have been cult images. Roman altars were usually rather modest and plain, but some Imperial examples are modeled after Greek practice with elaborate reliefs, most famously the Ara Pacis, which has been called "the most representative work of Augustan art." Small statuettes, executed with varying degrees of artistic competence, are plentiful in the archaeological record, particularly in the provinces, and indicate that these art objects were a continual presence in the lives of Romans, whether for dedicating at a temple or for private devotional display at home or in neighborhood shrines.

Roman sarcophagi, mainly dating from the 1st to the 4th centuries CE, offer examples of intricate reliefs that depict scenes often based on Greek and Roman mythology or mystery religions that offered personal salvation, and allegorical representations. Roman funerary art also offers a variety of scenes from everyday life, such as game-playing, hunting, and military endeavors.

Scenes from Roman sarcophagi

• Scenes of Orphic religion (2nd century)

• Portonaccio sarcophagus with a battle

• Children playing with nuts (3rd century)

• Four Seasons allegory
  (3rd century)