"A Land of Beauty: Treasures from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples" is currently on display at the Pudong Art Museum in Shanghai, and about 70 objects from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy, from the ancient Roman civilization more than 2,000 years ago, showcasing the aesthetic of ancient Rome influenced by ancient Greece.
Starting with the marble statue of Aphrodite (Venus), the exhibition brings an era of coexistence between gods and humans through sculpture, and "The Paper Art Review" invites you to appreciate the beauty of sculpture on the occasion of the Chinese New Year.
Bent Aphrodite and Eros (Venus)
Leaning over Aphrodite and Eros, Roman, Marble, 2nd century
Venus is the goddess of love and beauty in ancient Roman mythology, and at the same time the goddess of fertility and navigation, corresponding to Aphrodite in Greek mythology.
Originally she may have been an orchard elf. Her alias is Murthea, which probably means "mountain peach" in Latin. Later, because it was corresponded to Aphrodite in Greek mythology, Venus also became the goddess of beauty and love, and the little goddess of love Cupid was her son. In Rome, the anniversary of Venus is set in April every year, and the worship of Venus is particularly prevalent in Rome during the imperial period. Julius Caesar claimed to be a descendant of Aeneas, son of Venus, so he honored Venus as the ancestor of the Romans.
Exhibition view of "Aphrodite and Eros Leaning Over"
Originally conceived from another, more malleable material, such as bronze, this sculpture of the goddess crouched on a bathing table embodies the evolution of the ancient Greek sculptor Praxitres' (5th-4th century BC) contemplation of divine beauty into the downward curling of the goddess's body.
Reclining Aphrodite
Reclining Aphrodite, Roman, Marble, 2nd century
During the Hellenistic period, the female body gradually became favored in the creation of sculptors, and at the same time there were great advances in the treatment of statue costumes. Although Roman artists copied Greek sculpture, they paid more attention to realistic details, including lines and skin folds. This replica of the Antonian period created in the 2nd century AD is in line with the Roman taste for all kinds of classical beauty, and fully reflects the charm of the goddess. Aphrodite's beauty seemed to shine in the day, and her eyes seemed to contain blue water, so she became the most beloved goddess of the gods.
Exhibition view "Reclining Aphrodite"
The sculpture was originally located in a niche of a certain height, so that the viewer was able to admire it from the bottom up. In the sculpture, the goddess's head is covered and a hooded cloak covers her robe, a design that gives the sculpture a "rainy" atmosphere, indicating that the prototype dates back to the 5th century BC. This replica of Antonian works is in keeping with the Roman taste for classical beauty, but nevertheless fully embodies the charm of the goddess, who reclines on the pillar, supported with her left elbow and her left leg forward towards the viewer.
The back of Venus
Back of Venus, Roman, Marble, 2nd century
This venus shows the goddess lifting her robe before bathing. Both embodying the natural beauty of the goddess's physical form and implying her satisfaction with this beauty, we can see that she is admiring her reflection in the water. The sculpture embodies the unique vision of sculptor Praxitres to look at the relationship between humans and nature from a new perspective.
Exhibition view, "The Back of Venus"
It is reported that around the 16th century, when the sculpture was discovered in Rome, its head was lost. The restoration of the head over the shoulders to the back gives Venus a unique posture that leads us to the classic view of the statue, the back of the goddess.
Amazonian warrior woman on horseback
Amazonian warrior on horseback, Rome, Mount Pontellicus Marble, 2nd century
The Amazons were an all-female warrior people in ancient Greek mythology who occupied much of Asia Minor, Phrygia, Thrace, and Syria. According to some archaeological observations, ancient Sarmatian women may have participated in wars, so a small number of scholars believe that the Amazons really existed in history.
According to ancient Greek legend, the Amazons were descendants of the gods of war Ares and Hamonia, who used bows and arrows, tomahawks, light shields as weapons, and made their own helmets and robes. They worship Ares, the god of war, and Artemis, the goddess of hunting, and seek a living in battle.
Exhibition view "Amazonian Warrior on Horseback"
This life-size sculpture depicts an Amazon woman falling off her mount as her hair is grabbed by an enemy. As the details of the saddle indicate, the marble was originally stained. The warrior woman is depicted using traditional iconography, with her right breast bare and her left arm covered with a shield due to the use of bows and arrows by the Amazons.
Athena
Athena, Rome, Paslo Marble, 2nd century
Athena was an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare and crafts, and later fused with the Roman goddess Minerva. According to Ovid's Metamorphoses, Athena has a very clear image: "Wearing a helmet with a shield in his left hand, a pointed spear in his right hand, and a sheepskin cuirass." "The statue of the goddess of wisdom is in a standing position, with her center of gravity on her left leg and her right leg stepping to the right, and her weapon reflects the identity of the god of war (the image of a warrior holding a spear). She has her own symbolic objects, such as a shield to protect her left arm and armor on her chest, which is adorned with Medusa's head in the center, and a spear on her right arm.
Part of "Athena"
Hesiod's Genealogy says that Athena was the child of Zeus and the goddess of wisdom Metis, and when Metis became pregnant, the earth goddess Gaia warned Zeus that Metis would give birth to a child stronger than Zeus and would overthrow and replace Zeus. Zeus was frightened and swallowed Metis before the child was born. Zeus then had a headache and had to summon the god of fire Hephaestus to split his head with a large axe, and a goddess dressed in armor and holding a golden spear jumped out of his head.
Exhibition view "Athena"
The Books of the pseudo-Apollodorus records that the legend of Athena becoming the patron saint of Athens is related to the match between the goddess and Poseidon. When Athens was first built by a Phoenician, Athena defeated Poseidon in competition to achieve the glory for which it was named. Since the Renaissance, Athena has become an international symbol of wisdom, art and classicism. Western artists and allegorists often refer to Athena as a symbol of freedom and democracy.
Whitewashed stucco ceiling (centaur)
Stucco ceiling, Vesuvius ruins, stucco, 1st century
The centaur depicted in the center of the ceiling is a creature from Greek mythology. In many Greek myths, centaurs were considered as wild as horses and were generally described as brutal, violent, and unreasonable, as representatives of barbarism. The concept derives from the reflection of the nomads of Central Asia by the Greeks of non-horseback riding cultures. Centaurs later also appeared in Roman mythology and were well-known characters in medieval zoology. They remain a frequent visitor in modern fantasy literature to this day.
Statue of Lucius Verus in plate armor
Statue of Lucius Verus in plate armor, Frascati and Rome, Paros marble (plate armor), Carrara marble (head), 1st-2nd centuries
Lucius Verus was the Roman Emperor during the reign of the Five Sages, and he was the adoptive brother of Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Sages. Lucius Verus ruled the Roman Empire together with Marcus Aurelius, the first time in the history of the empire that the two emperors ruled together. In theory, both brothers received the title of Augustus and had the same power, but in practice Marcus Aurelius remained the supreme leader.
At the end of 165 AD, the plague brought back by soldiers returning from military operations on all sides spread in the territory of the Roman Empire for more than ten years, causing the death of nearly one million people, and was later called the "Antony Plague". A few years later, it is likely that it was this plague that took the emperor's life.
Exhibition view
In the early modern antiques trade, attempts were made to restore sculptures that had lost their heads or other body parts, piecing together fragments found in different locations and stylistic periods. This sculpture of the torso, which remains only in armor, was completed by Giulio · Claudian period (1st century AD), excavated in Frascaty, the work of its restoration "reorganized" by the famous restorer Carlo A. Completed in Albasini (1734–1813), drawing on the portrait of Lucius Verus the Great in the 2nd century AD.
Pseudo-Seneca avatar
Pseudo-Seneca head, Herculaneum, bronze, 1st century
Seneca was a Stoic philosopher and politician of ancient Rome. As a writer, Seneca is known for his philosophical works and plays, which are among the main materials of ancient Stoicism. This Pseudoseneca is a Roman bronze bust from the end of the 1st century BC, discovered in 1754 at the Papyrus Villa in Herculaneum, and is the best of about two dozen works depicting the same face.
The sculpture depicts a man who depicts a withered man, who was initially thought to be based on the philosopher. But in fact, Seneca's true appearance is typical of a wealthy man, who is fatter than his peers, and his true appearance does not correspond to the Stoic philosophical ideals of his work. However, modern scholars believe that this is not Seneca himself, hence the name "Pseudoseneca "Pseudoseneca". For art students, Seneca busts often take on the image of "pirates", one of the classic images they must copy.
Family patron saint figurines
Statuette of the patron saint of the family, ruins of Mount Vesuvius, bronze, 1st century
Roman dwellings had a common feature, and the various parts of the house, especially the atrium and enclosure, would have a small structure for prayer, which was the shrine of the house god, which usually contained statuettes of patron saints who protected the family and the house. It is usually well-known gods, such as the three gods Capitolini, Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, or gods of special significance to the family, such as Hercules, Isis or Mercury. In either case, these idols are placed with the family's patron saint. Lal, the patron saint of the family of ancient Rome, is often depicted as a dancing youth holding a horned wine vessel.
Mercury
Mercury figurines, ruins of Mount Vesuvius, bronze, 1st century
Mercury was the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology, the god of livestock, commerce, transportation, tourism and sports, and one of the twelve main gods of Rome; Corresponds to Hermes in Greek mythology.
He was born to Jupiter, king of the gods, and Maiah, the goddess, and one of Jupiter's most trusted sons, often advising his father. He served as an emissary and interpreter for the gods on Mount Olympus, and as the god of communication, he had extraordinary wisdom and communication ability, so he was sometimes called the god of commerce, because business focuses on the communication and exchange of information. He is agile, energetic and versatile.
Mercury wall lamp, ruins of Mount Vesuvius, bronze, 1st century
His image is generally a man wearing a hat with wings on his head, flying shoes, and holding a double-coiled snake with a winged wand, walking like a fly. He was also the protector of medicine, travelers, merchants, and Western pharmacies and customs offices in many countries often used his cane wrapped around two snakes as a symbol. In addition, because Mercury moves quickly in the sky, it is also named after him.
Hercules/Hercules
Head of Hercules, Herculaneum, bronze, 1st century
Hercules in ancient Rome is the equivalent of Hercules in Greek mythology, the greatest demigod hero of Greek mythology, and an outstanding example of male. He is the child of the celestial god Zeus and the human female Alcmene, who has learned various martial arts and skills since childhood under the teaching of famous masters, and can fight bravely and well, becoming a well-known Hercules. In classical mythology, Hercules is known for his strength and wide range of adventures.
Herculi figurines, ruins of Mount Vesuvius, bronze, 1st century
Later Roman emperors also often referred to themselves as such. The Romans largely adopted the Greek version of Hercules' life and deeds, with sporadic additions to some Romanesque details, some even linking it to the heroes of the unified Mediterranean. In Rome, there was also a great cult of Hercule.
Herculi figurines, ruins of Mount Vesuvius, bronze, 1st century
In Roman art, as well as in the art of the Renaissance and later, Hercules can be identified by his abilities, lion skins, and crude stick weapons.
Statuette of Isis, patron saint of luck
Statuette of Isis, patron saint of luck, ruins of Mount Vesuvius, bronze, 1st century
This figurine fuses two different goddesses – Isis in the East and Fortuna in the West. Admirers call on her to help tame elusive luck.
Isis was an important goddess in ancient Egyptian religion, but her worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. In Egyptian religion, Isis was the protector of women and fertility in marriage, childbearing, newborns, and harvests. In the religion of ancient Rome, Isis was worshipped as a living being, healer and protector, especially the healer and protector of the family.
Fortuna is the goddess of luck and luck in Roman religion, representing elusive luck and fate, and thus bringing both good and bad luck. And the union of the two goddesses helps to tame the nature of Fortuna, that is, to introduce order into chaos; And incorporating the wisdom of Isis guarantees a more reliable destiny.
Exhibition view
Note: The exhibition will last until April 9, 2023, and the text of this article is provided by the Pudong Art Museum, and the cultural relics are from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples