View Article: Monumental Architecture vs. the Everyday

	Monumental Architecture vs. the Everyday
	written by liu9700 / 10.24.2005

Monumental Architecture vs. the Everyday

1 of 1

Assignment

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_12.233.jpg

reading face, reading space

Perhaps reading a Roman citizen's house is like reading their protrait. In both we find features that allude to personal virtues and make the owners/patrons seem ideal Roman citizens.

The primary difference in architectural design between private space and monumental public features is one of motivation. Private spaces in ancient Rome served a very practical function. Families would need a room for different aspects of their daily lives: cooking, bathing, sleeping and entertaining. The rooms in Case Romane are plain; the function of each usually becomes apparent after only a few moments in the room. Of all these rooms, however, only the one for entertaining remotely resembles monumental architecture. This is because it in part serves the same function, that of influencing and making an impression upon the visitor. Many public spaces in Rome were designed to control the flow of people through the space. Piazzas and public theaters are a good example of this. The Coliseum could be filled and emptied extremely quickly thanks to its impressive number of entrances and exits. The layout of Piazza Navona directs the visitor’s attention to the fountains at its middle while at the same time moving them from one end of the square to the other. Also, the grandeur of public space built during the reign of a particular emperor would serve as an indication of the success of that reign. Similarly, the rooms for entertaining in private buildings would serve as an indication of the owner’s wealth and also move the visitor through the home. Private spaces intended for more mundane purposes lacked this element, since they were not meant to impress or control.

Ancient private homes also served as symbols of Roman virtues and family values. A simple, but practical Roman home holds many indications of how well the owner adhered to these virtues. The plain, stout and square rooms we saw might stand for the owner’s “Severitas” (sternness) and “Frugalitas” (frugalness). The decorations in the parlor could indicate their “Comitas” (humor) and “Humanitas” (humanity). Auctoritas, Clementia, Honestas, Industria, as well as many others, can all be found within the walls of Case Romane. The simple design and non-obtrusive floor plan alludes to the virtues every Roman citizen strove to incorporate into their lives.

[ Multi-Page View ] [ Back to top ]