Roman Glass
2011
Roman Interiors – characteristic and evolution
To understand the art generally and the art of interior design as a part of art, and the place when the man is living, is to understand the man who creates it, to understand this man has to understand the environment which surrounds him.
Everything began in ancient Greece.
The main surroundings were mountains and sea, people who lived in polis – independent states. This land was placed where three civilization existed – Asian’s, Europe’s and African’s. After archaic period of Greece, between 750 – 500 BC, the social structure laid by Solon (638 – 558 BC, Athenian statesman and Lawmaker), and thanks to one of the greatest military genius and great fighter the son’s of Philip of Macedon Alexander the Great (365 – 323 BC), the Greek begun first democratic country with capitol in Athens, which was recognized as a symbol of freedom, where art, philosophy, poetry and other kind of art was part of the live simple citizens as a part of Greek’s democracy and the home of the civilised world. Because Greek’s religion based on the myths, where gods were male and female, the ancient Greeks put main emphasis on living their lives. The human was the most important, his freedom was the principal and everything he was doing had improved and glorified his existence. ‘Domus’, thus the place where most of Greek’s citizens were living, were simple but cosy like oasis. Then Vitruvius (about 80 – about 15 BC, Roman architect, writer and engineer) wrote, in his book titled ‘The Ten Books on Architecture’, about, for example symmetry, proportions of the principal rooms or the proper exposure of the different rooms in ‘Book 6 about Private Houses’, and for example about stucco and fresco and artificial colours such as black, blue, burnt ochre or white lead and purple in ‘Book 7 about Finishes and Colours’. The Roman interiors continued the classical style created by Greeks. Despite of different types of Roman buildings, I would like to discuss elements which were the most common for them. The walls were painted in stucco or fresco like in other fourth styles knows as a Pompeian’s.
The First style ‘Incrustation’ (early 2nd Cent of BC) was imitating marble or oak,
The Second one ‘Architectural style’ (early 1st Cent of BC) – ‘extended’ the room with different perspective,
The Third one ‘Ornate style’ (end of 1st Cent of BC) framed the illusion’s images, and The Fourth one ‘Intricate style’ (62 AD – 2nd Cent of AD) was full three – dimensional and framed.
Another spectacular elements of Roman interiors were mosaics. This art consisted in small roughly shaped cubes (tesserae), circa 05 cm – 1,5 cm, put together in decorative patterns on the floors, which was called opus tessellatum or another one called opus vermiculatum and sometimes on the walls and the ceilings, like in Domus Aurea (AD 64). Materials used on it could be different, generally stone such us marble and sometimes glass. Colours and patterns depended on the period and Roman Provinces in which it was created, ranging from white and black to fully colourised.
To discus Roman interior we cannot disregard Roman sculpture as its part. All of them, portraits, statues and reliefs were Roman sculpture. Most of portraits and statues in most cases depicted Roman emperors, great citizens, members of emperor’s family or gods and sometimes animals. Carved in stone with great realism they had shown powerful Roman Empire in its celebrity and emperors. Painting of sculptures was common. Because Romans were first of all great fighters and conquests the most important thing was to tell story about this for eternal glory of the Empire. The best way to do this was relief. Thus sculptors, in the whole country were carving victories in war, their heroes on the walls in palaces, villas and temples, on the columns and on the sarcophaguses. Remarkable are also reliefs with secular themes and privet live of emperor’s family. To describe Roman interiors we cannot mention nothing about non – architectural elements such as vessels, pottery, metalwork, terracotta’s or glass. Roman’s vessels, in most cases made from silver, were always richly carved in reliefs with plenty of themes. In this type of objects we can account for plates, cups, dishes, bowls, and others. Another type of substantial objects constituted pottery with most utilitarian character. Depending on the period, place when it was made and manner of creating we can distinguish as follows: Arretine – Arezzo ware, South Gaulish pottery, Campanian Pottery, red – gloss ware, eastern relief wares or glazed wares. Majority of them was decorated by painting, reliefs or both. Terracotta was used by the Romans widely, especially between 100 BC to 100 AD. As a part of architectural decorations in interiors terracotta was also used as panels, known as Campana reliefs, it depicted religious or mythological scenes. Very popular objects made from terracotta were different kinds of figures; other type of utilitarian articles were lamps. Finally, we have to mention glass’ items, because it was widely produced during all periods in many shapes, plenty of colours, as a decorative, and usable – common things. It is sufficient to analyse some quality objects below, from countless number of Roman glass, to understand how rich this art was.
Well, in total, despite meaningless of the furniture in its own right, even rich carved and decorated, made in most cases from wood, Roman interiors were full of different masterpieces and characteristic for the Empire pride and greatness
About the Author
Christopher Adach
The Roman Glass Industry
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