Politics of Place: Landscape Painting in Imperial Rome Público

Abstract

Arguably the inventors of the genre of landscape painting as a distinct artistic
subject, the ancient Romans were especially interested in the representation of place.
Taking many different forms, Roman landscape frescoes provided fantastical views onto
thick forests, serene harbors, quiet gardens, as well as bustling cities. This
dissertation investigates the development and meaning of landscape paintings in the
capital city of Rome from the first century B.C. to the third century A.D. By analyzing
the iconography, style, and context of these landscape paintings, I argue that landscape
imagery was used to express the power of imperial and elite patrons.

While the large corpus of painting preserved by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in
A.D. 79 has revealed much about Roman society at Pompeii and Herculaneum, the
richest and most powerful patrons kept residences in Rome. Surveying over thirty sites
from Rome, this dissertation examines landscape painting in relation to the actual
topography of Rome to determine how this unique urban context affects the meaning and
interpretation of landscape imagery. Imperial patrons had the resources to command the
best and most innovative architects and artists, often setting trends for the empire.
Landscape paintings feature prominently in the decoration of the Houses of Augustus and
Livia on the Palatine Hill, the suburban villa belonging to Augustus' daughter Julia her
husband Marcus Agrippa known as the Villa della Farnesina, and Nero's Domus Aurea.
At each of these sites, landscape helps to communicate power of cultivation over the
natural environment. Likewise, many elite houses, painted tombs, and a large peristyle
on the Esquiline Hill decorated with a painted landscape calendar attest to the wider
popularity of landscape imagery in the city of Rome. Carefully coordinated with
spectacular views of Rome's most famous public monuments and natural features, which
themselves functioned as symbols of power and industry, landscape painting celebrates
the virtue of imperial builders and pious Roman citizens. I conclude that depicted,
constructed, and natural landscapes are closely integrated in the capital, communicating a
view of place unique to the city of Rome that is embedded in imperial politics and power.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Landscape and Myth: The Houses of Augustus and Livia on the Palatine Hill

2. Landscape and Architectural Space: The Villa della Farnesina

3. Landscape and Imagination: The Domus Aurea

4. Landscape and Eternity: The Tombs of Rome

5. Landscape and Time: The Esquiline Landscape Calendar

Conclusions: Landscape and the City

Appendices

Selected Bibliography

Figures

About this Dissertation

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Art History
Degree	PhD
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	History, Ancient Art History Anthropology, Archaeology
Palabra Clave	Roman art landscape painting Roman painting patronage fresco landscape power
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Varner, Eric, Emory University
Committee Members	McPhee, Sarah C., Emory University Shute, Gay, Emory University Wescoat, Bonna D, Emory University

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