sculpture

Opposite More than any other Roman arch, the Arch of Constantine has served as the model for later versions, though it is itself modelled on the Arch of Septimius Severus and consists almost entirely of decorative elements recycled from earlier monuments. This arch commemorates the decisive Battle of the Milvian Bridge (AD 312) at which Constantine defeated Maxentius to become sole emperor.

The triumphal arch: exploring the legacy of a Roman monument

Dismissed by one distinguished architectural writer as a regrettable example of Roman pomposity, ‘typical of the rather pretentious magnificence of the [Roman] Empire’, the ‘triumphal arch’ (more correctly the ‘honorary arch’) has proved to be surprisingly enduring, with a history that extends from the Roman period to the present day. Chris Catling reviews a new book by Peter Howell tracing the history of the arch through its many manifestations.

Olympia: a cultural history

Review by Paul Christesen Olympia is not an especially large archaeological site (the entire excavated area measures less than 1km on a side), but it is nonetheless a particularly complex one. Activity at the site began in the 4th millennium…

Right Head of Emperor Antoninus Pius (r. AD 138 161). Marble from Göktepe (Turkey), c.AD 138 140.

Off with their heads! The emperors of Chiragan

One of the finest collections of Roman emperors is to be found far from Rome in the Musée Saint-Raymond in Toulouse. But where did they come from, and how did such a magnificent gathering of Roman emperors come to lose their heads? The late Roman Empire was a time of growing religious intolerance. In the East, a Christian mob destroyed the Serapeum temple at Alexandria: did a similar outburst of violence take place in south-western France? Andrew Selkirk investigates.

A Maya Universe in Stone

In 1951, Quest for the Lost City was published in the United States. Reviewed in The New York Times as ‘a sort of overland Kon-Tiki’ – in reference to Thor Heyerdahl’s recent Pacific Ocean adventure – the book was an…

RIGHT The god Mercury holding his half brother, the god Bacchus, as a child. This statue was in the Antiquarium of Cosimo I at Palazzo Pitti in 1576 and later, in 1597, in the Galleria degli Uffizi. After it was restored in 1758, it was moved to the Garden of Boboli, where it remained until recently. Marble, 2nd century AD.

Children of the Roman Empire

A new exhibition in Florence examines what life was like for the young sons and daughters of gods, emperors, and ordinary mortals in ancient Rome. Dalu Jones explores what the ancient art on view reveals about attitudes towards children.

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A Maya Universe in Stone

A Maya Universe in Stone delves deeply into the imagery, inscriptions, and political and social contexts of several ancient Maya carved limestone lintels made in the late 8th century AD, likely in Guatemala’s Department of Peten. Eminent epigrapher and archaeologist…

Below The Barber Institute’s new exhibition, Miss Clara and the Celebrity Beast in Art 1500 1860, includes several depictions of the famous 18th century rhinoceros, such as this bronze sculpture.

Celebrity beasts

The statues of five elephants surrounding this part of the cemetery have led to the belief that these and other circus animals are buried here along with the human victims of the Hammond circus train disaster of 22 June 1918.

ABOVE A single church can yield no end of treasures. In this case, the church of St Mary, in Chilham, Kent, has the remarkable English Renaissance tomb of Margaret Palmer (d. 1619) made from the local grey Bethersden marble, polished then etched with rose and honeysuckle blossoms and vine leaves in shallow relief. Nearby is the monument to Arthur and Edmund Hardy (d. 1858, presumably of a childhood illness), whose family owned Chilham Castle from 1861 to 1918, sculpted by Alexander Munro, with its unique depiction of a bat and shuttlecock. In the opposite (southern) aisle is the monument to Lady Mary Digges (d. 1631), with alabaster figures of Justice, Temperance, Prudence, and Fortitude (shown here) carved by Nicholas Stone.

Church Crawlers Anonymous

This ‘society’ consists of an informal Facebook group with some 1,600 members. Anyone who shares the group’s passion for exploring places of worship and contributing photographs that inspire others to enjoy visiting such places can join. Perhaps more people would…

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This week: Domitian

Few figures in history have seen their reputation rise and fall quite like Domitian (AD 51-96). The third and final ruler of the dynasty founded in AD 69 by his father Vespasian, he became one of the longest-serving emperors, praised during his 15-year reign as a living god, but later remembered as corrupt, murderous and deeply depraved.

Kallos

Kallos: eternal beauty

What did kallos mean to the Greeks? As the Museum of Cycladic Art explores this concept, Lucia Marchini talks to Nikolaos Stampolidis to uncover divine, mortal, and internal beauty in the Greek world.

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Exhibitions from around the world- October 2021

Due to changing coronavirus measures, the dates listed below may have changed since we went to print, and museums and galleries may close. Check the websites and social-media accounts of the museums for the most up-to-date information and bookings.

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Honouring Augustus

After centuries of reuse and years of closure, the Mausoleum of Augustus is now open to visitors. Dalu Jones examines the structure’s long history and how, with its neighbour the Ara Pacis, it forms a modern monumental complex to the ancient emperor in the heart of Rome.

Exhibitions from around the world – August 2021

Due to changing coronavirus measures, the dates listed below may have changed since we went to print, and museums and galleries may close. Check the websites and social-media accounts of the museums for the most up-to-date information and bookings.

Left Nero, in the form of a marble statue created within a few years of him becoming emperor in AD 54. His hairstyle differed from that of previous emperors, and according to the ancient authors so too did his general approach to the role. It is illuminating to compare and contrast their hostile accounts with objects created

Nero: monster or maligned?

It would be fair to say that Nero’s reputation survives him. But could it be that this notorious imperial bad boy has been unfairly condemned by history? While the charge sheet levelled against him by the ancient historians is truly horrifying, archaeology paints a more nuanced picture, as Thorsten Opper told Current World Archaeology's Matthew Symonds.

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Picasso: echoes of Iberia

From myths of the Minotaur to Cycladic sculpture, the influence of the ancient world on Picasso is well known. But a less familiar part of the artist’s relationship with the distant past is his fruitful engagement with the art of ancient Iberia, as Cécile Godefroy and Hélène Le Meaux explain.

On show: exhibitions from around the world – June 2021

Many museums and galleries around the world have recently reopened with safety measures in place, including compulsory booking and limits on visitor numbers. Closures are still a possibility, and the dates listed below may have changed since we went to print. Check the websites and social-media accounts of the institutions for the most up-to-date information, bookings, and, in many cases, a chance to explore their collections online.

OPPOSITE William Pars, Ruins of the temple of Apollo at Didyma, from the north east¸ October 1764. Pen and grey and black ink, watercolour, with gum arabic and some body colour. Size: 299 x

In search of ancient Ionia

William Pars’s poetic images of the ruins he encountered on an expedition to Ionia and Athens helped shape the taste for Greek styles in 18th-century Britain. Louise Stewart takes us on a journey to Ionia through the eyes of this young artist.

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Was Nero really a goodie?

His talents may have been limited and he may have been fundamentally lazy: but was he bad? Could we not say that he made the best use of his limited talents – and the empire flourished?

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Epic Iran: Persian splendours

A major exhibition delving into 5,000 years of art and design in Iran is set to open in London in May. Lucia Marchini speaks to curator John Curtis for a preview of some of the ancient highlights.