IDC Rome: Roman Sculpture

GOD OR HUMAN?

The question is harder to answer than it might seem because the Romans anthropomorphized their gods - represented them in human form. Roman gods, however, were bigger and more beautiful than humans, thus they were often portrayed over life-size and with idealized features. Yet, not all idealized sculptures are gods. Many real people, especially women, preferred to be represented with a generic regular face rather than a distinctive physiognomy. So, when looking at a sculpture, if the face does not help you determine whether you're looking at a god or a human, you have to turn to fashion elements (hair and clothing) and attributes for further information.


			GOD OR HUMAN? The question is harder to answer than it might seem because the Romans anthropomorphized their gods - represented them in human form. Roman gods, however, were bigger and more beautiful than humans, thus they were often portrayed over life-size and with idealized features. Yet, not all idealized sculptures are gods. Many real people, especially women, preferred to be represented with a generic regular face rather than a distinctive physiognomy. So, when looking at a sculpture, if the face does not help you determine whether you're looking at a god or a human, you have to turn to fashion elements (hair and clothing) and attributes for further information.