The statue of Augustus of Prima Porta was commissioned by the senate in honour of Augustus. This statue is part of the shift from republican to imperial art and of the kind of art Augustus promoted for his personal Propaganda to legitimise his becoming an absolute ruler.
Augustus is depicted both as a god and as an "imperator" (a victorious commander). He is barefoot because gods were depicted barefoot. A cupid riding a dolphin appears to support the statue. Cupid was the son of the goddess Venus. Julius Caesar had claimed that his family descended from Venus. Augustus, as the adoptive son of Caesar, continued this claim.
Augustus is also wearing the paludamentum, the cloak of military commanders. He is saluting the army with his raised arm. His armour has a relief with the retrieved standards that the Roman legions had lost when they had earlier been defeated by the Persians. Losing the standards was considered a great dishonour. Augustus negotiated the return of the standards with the Persians and used this for his personal propaganda. He presented this as a symbolic victory and a boost to Roman pride. He pretended that the Persians had submitted to the Romans.
This statue is part of the many icons of the personal propaganda and personality cult which Augustus created for himself. He portrayed himself, as the saviour of the Republic (even though he dispensed with it and created his own absolute ruler) the upholder of Roman religious traditions, the restorer of peace, the commander of the army and a god. The precedent for personal propaganda and personality cult was set by Julius Caesar who also created his own personal iconography and a religious cult around himself based of Venus. Subsequent emperors also created personality cults.
As mentioned above, this statue was part of the shift from Republican to imperial art. Republican Rome frowned on personality cults. This no longer was the case. Moreover, it adopted the iconography of the Greek rulers of the Hellenistic period. Republican sculptural busts depicted old and wise leaders which symbolised the virtues of dingnitas, itergitas et gravitas. Now youth and strength became the symbols of leadership in emulation of Alexander the great.
It's actually Cupid and it represents that Augustus was of divine descent.
The subjects of most Roman sculpture were the famous people, emperors, generals, statesmen, and many times of their wives. Some sculpture was full length, while many were of busts. The full length statues always had some symbolism attached to them, telling the viewer something about the subject.
The Augustus of Prima Porta was carved to commemorate Augustus's diplomatic victory over the Parthians in 20 BC. I hope this helps people!
It is not known who made the Augustus of Prima Porta. It was discovered during archaeological excavations at the villa of Livia (Augustus' wife) in the 19th century. The artifact was made to commemorate Augustus's victory over the Parthians in 20 BC.
It's actually Cupid and it represents that Augustus was of divine descent.
The statue was found in 1867 during excavations whichfollowedthe discovery of a marble krater (a large vase used to mix wine with water) carved in refined low relief in 1864.Prima Porta is an area justoutsideRome where a marble statue ofAugustus was found. It had been called the Augustus of Prima Porta and is now housed at theVaticanMuseums. It is a copy of an original bronze statue that celebrated Augustus' return to Rome with the standards of the legions which had been captured by thePersiansin 53BCand whichAugustusretook in 20 BC.Prima Porta was also where the villa of the wife ofAugustus, Livia Drusilla, was. It was alargevilla which belonged to her family and was her dowry. All that remain is three vaulted subterranean rooms. it is famous for an impressive fresco which has an illusionistic garden view with all the trees and flowers in blossom at once.
Which one? Augustus had a 44 year reign and there were many, many statues of him. If you are referring to the one found at Livia's villa at Prima Porta, (the one with him pointing and a little cupid at his leg) that was made shortly after his death in 14 AD.
Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.Two very famous Roman marble sculptures immediately come to mind. The first is the full length statue of Augustus, named the Prima Porta, after the place where it was found, and the second is the beautiful Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, constructed by Augustus.
it was made from white marble
You are thinking of the stature called the Augustus of Prima Porta and you are correct in thinking that the small fellow at the leg of Augustus is Cupid. He symbolizes the Julian family's lineage which was supposed to spring from Venus. Cupid was the son of Venus an he is riding on a dolphin, one of the favored animals of Venus.
The statue of Augustus of Prima Porta does not have a baby hanging from his leg. It has a small Cupid riding a dolphin next to his right leg. In mythology Cupid was the son of Venus. As the adoptive son of Julius Caesar, Augustus continued the personal religious cult started by Caesar by associating his family with the goddess Venus. He claimed a religious connection with Venus for himself. This explains the presence of a small Cupid by the leg of his statue.
First of all, it is now generally believed that the statue of Augustus found at Prima Porta, was commissioned by Tiberius after the death of Augustus. It is a copy of a bronze. It portrays the history of Augustus' achievements. He holds the imperial baton, and is dressed in a military uniform symbolizing his military career and conquests. On his cuirass are depictions of his victories, both military and civil. He is standing next to a dolphin and a cupid, which both have ties to Venus, the ancestor of the Julians and he is barefooted symbolizing that he has been deified.
Of course it is an equestrian sculpture. it is comparable whit the Cartoceto Group (ca. 300 bc). the adlocutio (gesture with right hand) is comparable with many imperial sculpture such as Augustus Prima Porta and one of M. Aurelius that resemples this. the style in the portræt is comparable with Commodus and Lucius Verus, but overall it is a philosofical portait of an emperor with emphasis on the heavylitted eyes, large beard and calm positure.
prima gusto