KLA_010 Roman monumental art and its significance

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Jan Jílek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Ing. Monika Zobková Koróniová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Jan Jílek, Ph.D.
Department of Archaeology and Museology – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Šibíčková
Supplier department: Department of Archaeology and Museology – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
KLA_001 Introduction to Class. Arch.
Basic knowledge of the Greek and Roman art. Completion of the course KLA_001 - Introduction to Classical Archaeology is obligated, accomplishment of the couses KLA_003 a KLA_04 a KLA_13 is convenient.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Main objectives can be summarized as follows: to understand the iconography and language of Roman narrative art, to analyse the aims of the Roman propaganda in the monumental art to analyse and to understand the monuments celebrating Roman emperors and empire in theirs decorative programmes and be able to describe and analyse with their historical context. The course explores how these images and monuments were made, displayed and used in their physical and social contexts, and what they reveal about the communities, space, time and their creators.
Learning outcomes
After successfull passing the course, students will be able to:
- define main characteristic of the Roman art and compare with the main features of the ancient Greek art
- outline fundamental chronologically and stylistic changes, technical aspects and predominant forms of the Roman art
- describe and explain main features and significance of the Roman monumental art
- Understand the inconography and language of the Roman narrative art
- Have a good understanding of Roman propaganda in the monumentaland representative art, especially triumphal or commemorative works and other well-known monuments celebrating Roman emperors and Roman empire
Syllabus
  • 1. Definition
  • 2. Roman art and Greek legacy (connection of Greek form and Roman content – establishing of Roman synthesis)
  • 3. Beginnings and formation of Roman representative art
  • 4. Augustan period and its signifikance
  • 5. Iulio-Claudian period
  • 6. Roman representative and decorative art during the principiate, Roman narrative art and so called historical relief, triumphal and commemorative monuments…
  • 7. Flavian art and principal monuments
  • 8. Traian classicism - the peak of Roman synthesis
  • 9. Art in the reign of emperor Hadrianus and an esthetical romanticism, beginnings of spirituality
  • 10. Period of emperors of house of Antoninus and increase of expressive elements
  • 11. Dynasty of S. Severus and soldiers emperors
  • 12. Main features of the late principate Roman art
Literature
    recommended literature
  • ANDREAE, Bernard. Die römische Kunst : mit über 930 Illustrationen, davon ca. 180 Vierfarbigen auf Kunstdrucktafeln. Neubearb. und erw. Ausg. Freiburg: Herder, 1999, 640 s. ISBN 3451266814. info
  • HÖLSCHER, Tonio. The language of images in Roman art. Edited by Jaś Elsner, Translated by Anthony Snodgrass - Annemarie Künzl-Snodgr. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, xxxv, 151. ISBN 9780521665698. info
  • KRAUS, Theodor and Bernard ANDREAE. Das Römische Weltreich. Berlin: Propyläen Verlag, 1990, 335 s. ISBN 354951026. info
  • RAMAGE, Nancy H. and Andrew RAMAGE. Roman art : Romulus to Constantine. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson, 2015, 384 s. ISBN 9780205988952. info
  • STRONG, Donald Emrys. Roman art. Edited by Roger Ling - J. M. C. Toynbee. New impression. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995, 406 s. ISBN 0300052936. info
  • ZANKER, Paul. Roman art. Translated by Henry Heitmann-Gordon. First published. Los Angeles: The J. Paul Getty Museum, 2010, ix, 214. ISBN 9781606061015. info
Teaching methods
Lectures with powerpoint presentation, class discussion
Assessment methods
Oral examination, starting from images seen during the lessons.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 0.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/KLA_010