You, Scipio and an unexcavated Roman temple!

[DL Cooper Studios]

Hello Friends!

A few months ago I started a thread about Roman Heroes. I was interested in getting your opinions on which I should sculpt next. There were many suggestions, but Scipio Africanus was the favorite. Since then, I have begun the sculpture and the enthusiasm in the archaeology community has grown.

I have used my work to support history and archaeology projects in the past. The first was an expedition to find the battlefield of Thermopylae in Greece.
Well, for the Roman history enthusiasts I have a new project.

I will donate the proceeds of my new sculpture, that you helped choose, to excavate a Roman temple in Italy. The site is has never been touched. This is a chance to support an exciting project and come to Italy to have a private tour with the archaeologist. I hope you check it out.

Below is the information on the excavation or go to the project page to learn more. On our site there are photos of Dr. Dicus in Pompeii, updates about the temple and additional photos of the sculpture: http://dlcooperstudios.com/art-and-archaeology.html

**DL Cooper Studios is proud to announce a NEW Archeological Expedition Project!
Scipio Africanus at Zama, a new limited edition sculpture by DiAnne Cooper will be supporting an exciting new archaeological expedition to a never before excavated Roman temple.

Art & Archaeology - 2012

Renowned sculptor DiAnne Cooper is teaming up with archaeologist Kevin Dicus, Ph.D. of the University of Michigan for The Art & Archeology 2012 Project. The project is centered on a never before excavated temple that Dr. Dicus has discovered outside of a small Renaissance city in central Italy.
Proceeds from the sale of Scipio Africanus at Zama will go to fund the excavation. This is a rare opportunity to be a part of new discoveries in Roman history. There will be only 50 editions of cast the sculpture. Each sculpture is hand finished by the artist. DiAnne’s sculptures are prized by collectors and sell out very quickly

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All patrons who purchase the sculpture will be invited to visit the dig site in Italy for an exclusive private tour with Dr. Dicus and DiAnne Cooper. After the site visit, we will share an evening of archeology, art, pasta and wine. The site will not be open to the general public.

We will keep you informed on the progress of the project by posting updates and photos on the Art and Archaeology page.
Dr. Dicus, who specializes in Etruscan and Roman history. He has been working on archeological sites in Italy for nearly a decade. In recent years, has been excavating private homes at Pompeii and an Etruscan Sanctuary in Tolfa, Italy.

Note: I met Kevin in Rome, Spring 2010, while on an art study sabbatical that took me through dozens of museums and sites across Italy. During my time in Rome, Kevin graciously spent four days giving me an extensive and enlightening tour through Etruscan and Roman sites and history. He is an enthusiastic and brilliant ambassador for archeology and a wonderful friend.

I have a deep appreciation of history and art. I strongly believe in the conservation, protection and study of ancient sites and artifacts. This is the second project of this kind that I am supporting. Participation in them has been extraordinarily interesting, educational and rewarding. PLEASE JOIN US!

The photos are of Kevin teaching his Graduate students and the sculpture in progress.
The sculpture still needs refining and additional ornamentation. If you have any questions or suggestions, let me know! [attachment=2598]arch14_2012-01-16.JPG[/attachment]

Scipio’s helmet is an Etruscan / Corinthian with hinged cheek gaurds. I chose that style because on his coinage, he is wearing that kind of helmet and writings about him mention that he was heavily influenced by Greek culture.

I still need help with details like ornamentation, sword fittings, armor lacings, greave decorations and attachments. If you have any illustrations or reference material, I would love to see it!

http://dlcooperstudios.com/art-and-archaeology.html
Email me at [email protected]

If you can repost elsewhere and help spread the word, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!
DiAnne

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[DL Cooper Studios]

PS. The sculpture is the clay model and it still needs much work...Cheers!

[Aemilianus]

Beautifull work, but in my opinion he should not wear caligae. First is was not yet worn by legionaries of the time as they wore little boots and further as a member of the aristocratie and the senate he should wear the senatorial model. The ocrae could also pose questions for such a high rank, but it is a probability.

I hope this will help with this outstanding piece.

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

I am wondering what you base that on, since Caligae were well known in the republican era. The thing you are correct in is that Scipio would have worn the taller senatorial boots.

M.VIB.M.

[Aemilianus]

I base myself on nothing... Just show me some evidence of sculpture, or painting or archeological find where soldiers of that time wear caligae. So far I have found only some kind of perones for that period. I have greeck sandals, etruscan and others italian people, but as for roman soldiers nothing. I would be highly interested in knowing your evidences on this subject as I have been searching for it for years. As far as my researches conduct the change seemed to have occured in the second half of the second century BC. But please if you have anything to sustain your theory tell me where to look. Thank you in advance.

[Alexand96]

I think it's great, particularly the facial reconstruction. Matches the surviving portrait of Scipio Africanus very well.

Seeing as I am also very interested in what Roman officers of the Republic would have actually looked like, I think I might be able to assist you in a small way.

As far as I know, this is one of if not the only surviving (detailed) representation of a Republican Roman general's panoply, pre 1st century BC - the so-called 'Rhodes panoply.' I've not been able to find any more detail about it other than it's located on the island of Rhodes, and is supposed to be the panoply of a Roman general circa 1st or 2nd century BC. The next closest representations (chronologically)of Republican officer's kit are all most definitely 1st century BC (such as the tribune on the altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus, or the monument dedicated to Sulla at Cagliari) - rather far removed from Scipio Africanus' time.

Here are the links:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaskapine/1778253674/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timothywat/...otostream/

This statue is very ornate and detailed, so I hope it helps.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

To be honest, it looks to me like they are carabatina on his feet, not caligae!

[Narukami]

Excellent!

Scipio Africanus -- the Noblest Roman of them all.



Narukami

[DL Cooper Studios]

Thank you for all the kind replies!

Aemilianus, MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS and Gaius Julius Caesar: The shoes are closer to carabatina, since I have put him in greaves. Gaius wins!
But I like the idea of boots and may change the sculpture.

What do you think of removing the greaves and just having boots?

I have found this photo of a statue of Augustus near Trajan's Forum in Rome. Would these boots work? Hmmmm?

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Alexand96: Thanks for those photos!! The are fantastic references!! They will help a great deal.

The breastplate on the sculpt is only 2.5 inches, so I can definately add more detail. What do you think of the ram motif. I couldn't find any reference to what his legion or personal symbol was. Any ideas?

Here is my Alexander, Alexander

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Narukami: Yes, he was amazing Glad you like it!

Cheers!
DiAnne

[Ghostmojo]

Both of them are very nice - well done - I particularly like the Alexander 8)

The next two subjects you should tackle are obvious then: Hannibal Barca (to pair up with Scipio Africanus) and Pyrrhos of Epeiros (whom HB and SA discussed along with Megale Alexandros III)

[PhilusEstilius]

DiAnne.

I do not like to nit pic but I am not so sure that the statue you show is Augustus near the Trajan Forum as far as I remember it may well be the Emperor Nerva, having said that I may be corrected but I do think the plnth it stands on refers to Nerva.

[PhilusEstilius]

If I am not mistaken what he holds in his left hand may well be his Will, for indeed Nerva did adopt Trajan to succeed him as the next Emperor.

[DL Cooper Studios]

Ghostmojo: THANKS! Yes, Hannibal would be fun to sculpt. I love the idea of putting him with an elephant I need to read up on Pyrrhos of Epeiros.

PhilusEstilius: You are probably right. I did an internet search using 'Roman Officer's Boots.' The tagline was Augustus....see, I trust the interwebs too much

What about the boots, though? Should he have boots instead of sandals and greaves?
I would really like to know your opinions. I want it to be as correct as possible. Thanks!

[Aemilianus]

I think that I would prefer your idea of senatorial boots and no ocrae. Further, ocrae are not easy to put on top of senatorial boots and almost all representations of generals and above in Roman art are displayed without them.

Here is another shot taken from an orator in republican times wearing them. Apparently they were made of very fine and soft leather as many exemple shows the toes form through the leather.
Finally The photo beeing small and my eyes not as good as when I was young I thought It was caligae, but bravo for the ones with better view that found it. One other question, I like the face that really look like the bust of Scipio, but was he bald when he was young and crush Carthage? I think I have read ages ago that when he took Carthagena in Spain he had long hairs. If anybody knows about that I would like the answer out of curiosity like a lot of you I suppose.
Once again congratulation for your talent. What size is the statue?

[DL Cooper Studios]

Aemilianus: Thanks for photo. I will be very helpful because I can see the details in the straps.

As for him being bald. I was very torn. Yes, he was much younger when the Zama occurred and he probably had hair. The portraits that we see most are of him without hair.

I did find this photo, but I'm not sure if this 'Beatle do' is really how most would imagine him. This profile of a young Scipio Africanus the Elder is from a gold signet ring from Capua (late 3rd or early 2nd century BC) signed by Herakliedes.

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These other images are of a much older man. Perhaps I could meet in the middle and give him a short cropped style.

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