Time Traveling, Art Historian Book Chapters - Roman Paintings Essay

Time Traveling, Art Historian Book Chapters - Roman Paintings - Essay Example The essay "Time Traveling, Art Historian Book Chapters - Roman Paintings" explores the Roman Paintings. From observing the living conditions of the people, it was very clear that they used paintings as more than just dà ©cor hanging on a wall. Their domestic conditions and living scenarios were very claustrophobic. Most of the dwellings were windowless, dingy and dark. In an attempt to right this, and to visually brighten up their rooms, the Romans painted in scientific ways that helped brighten up their homes. This included the fresco technique of painting and other forms. It wasn’t unusual to walk in to a room painted with the brightest of hues, or a wall that was divided into â€Å"multiple rectangular areas like the tic-tac-toe design†. Multi-point and trompe-l’oeil effects were also widespread in Rome. In my escapades of Rome I was lucky enough to witness the preparation and painting of a Fresco! It was a highly complex process, but the result was beautiful . Preparation involved firstly applying a few coats of mortar – a mixture of lime and sand, which was â€Å"followed by a few coats of lime and finely powdered marble†. The next step involved the application of coloured pigments to make the designs on the still-damp wall, followed by application of tempera and liquid wax after the wall dried. In the late nineteenth century, four styles of painting were identified and I was very lucky to have been able to observe them all in my visit to Rome. Incrustation was the first style which I witnessed as being ‘originated.... Incrustation was the first style which I witnessed as being ‘originated in the early 2nd century BC’. (â€Å"Roman Painting†, 2009). When viewed, I was strongly reminded of marble veneering. The painted decoration is very similar to slabs of coloured marble. A great example of this style is the Samnite House in Herculaneum. Observing this piece, I could only imagine how this style manages to represent the cultural aspirations of the middle class of the time. The second style, which was developed almost a century later, allowed the â€Å"opening up the wall by allowing illusions of windows and porticos†, therefore giving one a distinct feeling of looking out at imaginary sceneries. (â€Å"Roman Painting†, 2009). Gazing upon samples of this type, such as the Odyssey paintings from a Roman House currently in the Vatican, I couldn’t help but be immersed and lost in sceneries so beautiful, that it was hard to believe they were not really there. The third style is Ornamental. This was probably the first picture gallery, as the style focused on closing up walls to create said effect. As I wandered through rooms, I noticed typically, a large central piece that was surrounded by a smaller picture on each side. The fourth style seems to have been named for paintings many decades later. It is a heterogeneous style that incorporates bits from each of the previous ones. (â€Å"Roman Painting†, 2009) Chapter 2: Islamic Art of Ornamentation After Rome, and the amazing paintings I had been lucky to witness, I decided it was time for another great civilization – Islam. I wanted to witness something different†¦ something beautiful and