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It does make me think of models I used to paint when I was a kid and is rather garish, but then how much is known of the fashion at the time of painting? Perhaps the stark whiteness of the skin is supposed to show some sort of superhuman godlike qualities? For an artist to portray a powerful ruler in a flattering light is just good politics. Shakespeare wrote a number of plays which legitimised the rule of the Tudors who's only right to rule came from an army at Henry Tudor's back, lacked legitimacy. Shakespeare was not the only one sucking up to Henry's heirs. You just don't show such a ruler in any way he might not approve. Rather, you add a little extra gold and glory. But how accurate are these colors? Might not there have been gold and silver foil applied which has since been stripped from the statue? I does look unsubtle, but then, how subtle were the Romans overall? There were certainly not aesthetic as the Athenians were, and comparitively coarse in comparison. Rather like New yorkers of the ancient world. I could be way off base, but maybe the painter did not have the taste for subtelty. The carving of the statue itself is really nice, maybe the painter was just not of the same caliber, or maybe he was " Just following orders", maybe the patron or patroness who commisioned it gave the orders how to decorate it? In any case, the more I look at it, the more unfinished it looks. Do these colors look like the pigments that would have been available and used by statuary decorators at the time?
Caesar audieritis hoc
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Don't forget that these statues may not have been situated to see them close-up and brightly lit the way we see them in museums today. They were often high up on columns or in deep, shadowed niches such as the arches of the Colosseum, circuses and other buildings, or in the many shady porticoes that were found in ancient cities. An actor in stage makeup looks garish from three feet away in a small room, but perfectly natural on stage, at the proper distance with correct lighting.
Pecunia non olet
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I couldn't get to the picture from any links here so I found it other ways... Apparently it was found in Livia's ( Augustus's widow) villa. It was moved to the Vatican. I have no idea how it was displayed in her villa, or how she would have liked to display it. I was an actor too among other things, and I know what you mean about the stage makeup... not like TV makeup but it keeps your features from washing out under the lights. Better seen from a distance right after eating lol. If she were grieving and commissioned it, I would think she would want it as realistic as possible for maximum effect. If it is idealised, maybe its the idealising of a widow remembering her loved one? As garish as it looks. it does occur to me, what if thats just how it looked as unfinished as the piture appears. Maybe they thought it looked cool? Look at those rich gold chain bling laden rappers, long on money, short on taste...
Caesar audieritis hoc
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When you look at the statue you really get the sense, now its coloured, of the fact that he appears to be wearing a submarlis or a thorochomachus.
Adrian Coombs-Hoar
