Description
Discover the intriguing exploration of power and art in 'Twelve Caesars,' a captivating trade paperback that unveils how Roman emperors have influenced western portraiture for over two millennia. This brand new release, published by Princeton University Press in 2023, dives deep into the aesthetics of political representation and why certain figures, from the ambitious Julius Caesar to the controversial Domitian, have been immortalized in art. Mary Beard intricately navigates through the complex dynamics of imperial portraits and their role in shaping public perception of authority, especially amidst today's ongoing 'sculpture wars.'
With its rich illustrations, 'Twelve Caesars' offers a historical journey through 2,000 years of cultural shifts, highlighting works by renowned artists such as Memling and Mantegna, alongside craftsmen like weavers and silversmiths. This book is not just about static images; it’s a vivid narrative that explores changing identities, misidentifications, and the nuances of artistic representation. Perfect for history buffs, art lovers, and anyone intrigued by the intersection of power and aesthetics, the book prompts the question: what does the face of power truly look like today?
Enjoy FREE shipping on this item! Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Kindly note that once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Dive into the fascinating world of the 'Twelve Caesars' today!
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691225876
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2023
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
What does the face of power look like? Who gets commemorated in art and why? And how do we react to statues of politicians we deplore? In this book — against a background of today’s 'sculpture wars' — Mary Beard tells the story of how for more than two millennia portraits of the rich, powerful, and famous in the western world have been shaped by the image of Roman emperors, especially the 'Twelve Caesars,' from the ruthless Julius Caesar to the fly-torturing Domitian.
Twelve Caesars asks why these murderous autocrats have loomed so large in art from antiquity and the Renaissance to today, when hapless leaders are still caricatured as Neros fiddling while Rome burns.
Beginning with the importance of imperial portraits in Roman politics, this richly illustrated book offers a tour through 2,000 years of art and cultural history, presenting a fresh look at works by artists from Memling and Mantegna to the nineteenth-century American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, as well as by generations of weavers, cabinetmakers, silversmiths, printers, and ceramicists. Rather than a story of a simple repetition of stable, blandly conservative images of imperial men and women, Twelve Caesars is an unexpected tale of changing identities, clueless or deliberate misidentifications, fakes, and often ambivalent representations of authority.
From Beard’s reconstruction of Titian’s extraordinary lost Room of the Emperors to her reinterpretation of Henry VIII’s famous Caesarian tapestries, Twelve Caesars includes fascinating detective work and offers a gripping story of some of the most challenging an
With its rich illustrations, 'Twelve Caesars' offers a historical journey through 2,000 years of cultural shifts, highlighting works by renowned artists such as Memling and Mantegna, alongside craftsmen like weavers and silversmiths. This book is not just about static images; it’s a vivid narrative that explores changing identities, misidentifications, and the nuances of artistic representation. Perfect for history buffs, art lovers, and anyone intrigued by the intersection of power and aesthetics, the book prompts the question: what does the face of power truly look like today?
Enjoy FREE shipping on this item! Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Kindly note that once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Dive into the fascinating world of the 'Twelve Caesars' today!
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691225876
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2023
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
What does the face of power look like? Who gets commemorated in art and why? And how do we react to statues of politicians we deplore? In this book — against a background of today’s 'sculpture wars' — Mary Beard tells the story of how for more than two millennia portraits of the rich, powerful, and famous in the western world have been shaped by the image of Roman emperors, especially the 'Twelve Caesars,' from the ruthless Julius Caesar to the fly-torturing Domitian.
Twelve Caesars asks why these murderous autocrats have loomed so large in art from antiquity and the Renaissance to today, when hapless leaders are still caricatured as Neros fiddling while Rome burns.
Beginning with the importance of imperial portraits in Roman politics, this richly illustrated book offers a tour through 2,000 years of art and cultural history, presenting a fresh look at works by artists from Memling and Mantegna to the nineteenth-century American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, as well as by generations of weavers, cabinetmakers, silversmiths, printers, and ceramicists. Rather than a story of a simple repetition of stable, blandly conservative images of imperial men and women, Twelve Caesars is an unexpected tale of changing identities, clueless or deliberate misidentifications, fakes, and often ambivalent representations of authority.
From Beard’s reconstruction of Titian’s extraordinary lost Room of the Emperors to her reinterpretation of Henry VIII’s famous Caesarian tapestries, Twelve Caesars includes fascinating detective work and offers a gripping story of some of the most challenging an