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Monumental Architecture vs. Everyday |
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by zinnia / 10.24.2005 |
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| Monumental Architecture vs. the Everyday |
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Assignment |
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The Case Romane del Celio was originally two separate residential areas in 2nd century A.D., an apartment block and a manor. Later in the 3rd century, the two were united by a single owner to become an elaborately decorated mansion. The Case Romane del Celio is drastically different from any ancient Roman architecture that I’ve seen previously. From what I have seen and heard, the Romans favored monuments that are grand in scale and very, very spacious. The ceiling seems infinitely away, the frescos not life-sized people but giants, and it is never possible for a person to completely hug the beams. As I journeyed through the Case Romane, the word ‘frugal’ constantly popped up in my head. The height of the rooms were quite low, it was difficult for taller people to walk through. Streets in ancient Rome were probably very narrow, judging from the shoulder-width corridor that was originally a street separating the apartment complex and manor.
The other distinctive character about Roman houses is that new ones are erected with much reuse of walls and floor pavements and other parts of the old building. It can be observed that the current Case Romane del Celio has portions of the brick wall that are laid in different patterns; where part of it was constructed in the 2nd century and part in 3rd century. The floors was of a similar manner: mosaic from 2nd century and marble tiles from 3rd.
It is very peculiar that such a rich man who built an entire mansion for himself built it with used materials. Moreover, he used bricks for most everything and adorned the walls with paintings. Monuments in public space, on the contrary, often employed marble, granite, and other more precious stones as building material; and any graphic presentation was done in detailed carvings. Maybe everyone from the ancient Roman time felt what they had at the presence is unimportant, and so only focused on those that should eternally stand? Forums, temples, emperors’ burial place, and even architecture belonging to common citizens (the baker’s tomb) were constructed to exist through time. Made public for future generations to view, these buildings were given a great deal of emphasis during the Roman era. Engravings and entirely new masonry, albeit more time-consuming and costly to make, are a lot more durable and thus used for these buildings; whereas frescos, which easily chip and the colors fade under light, are employed for buildings meant for everyday use.
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