Piazza Armerina Sacrifice Scene

[Vindex]

The horses hoof movements show that they are ready and impatient to be off.

That's a good way of explaining it. It's interesting, looking at other bits of the mosaic, to try and work out why some figures have 'movement shadows' and others don't... there's clearly a visual language here, but not one that we're familiar with (is anybody? I don't recall seeing them in other Roman artworks...)

Why do the 'shadows' curl up at the ends, I wonder? Here's one, from wikipedia, amusingly titled 'boy skiing': it does look a bit like that!

To me the curl on the shadow adds perspective - rather like this: (EDIT: oops - the one on the left; didn't realise the images were linked)

[PhilusEstilius]

It has been said that the Romans did not have much idea of perspective in their art but I think we have to stop and think a little bit more on this subject in fact it is where we maybe even have to start thinking Roman.

[Nathan Ross]

hunting didn't actually form a large part of Roman elite behaviour.

Not in the republican era, perhaps, but by the later empire I think it did. Pliny writes of going on hunting parties with his villa friends, the officers at Vindolanda were buying hunting nets, and Hellenistic influence under Hadrian may have popularised the activity further. But it was during the third century particularly - if the number of hunting scenes shown on sarcophagi, in mosaics and on plates and bowls is any evidence - that it really took off. Quite possibly the extinction of the aristocratic military tradition at around this same time contributed - the hunt was perhaps the best way of demonstrating virtus in a civilian context.

we maybe even have to start thinking Roman.

If only we could! But it is an invitation to try and think a bit differently about what we're looking at. Another example: this is a mosaic from the baths in the villa:



My first idea was that this shows an aristocratic lady (with a great 3rd-4th century 'central braid' hairdo) going to the baths with her two slave maids carring oil/perfume case and clothing trunk, and two eunuchs.

But are those 'eunuchs' actually her sons? And why do they have characterisic 'German' hairstyles?

The woman seems to be urging the righthand 'son' onwards, and he looks quite unwilling. In fact the 'shadow' coming from his leading foot is curled right backwards. Could he be one of those adolescent youths who spend all their time in their room and never take a bath? mile:

So perhaps these curly 'foot shadows' are a way of showing the intention of the person too?

[Robert Vermaat]

Interesting discussion people!