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Medea mosaic, from Ephesus
Henceforth and until the Late Empire, Roman art was transformed. The austerity of early sculpture was
embellished with classical features. Thus Hadrian's busts and statues displayed a beard and hair more
analogous to the age of Pericles than to that of Augustus. This style remained prominent throughout the
time of the ANTONINES. Greek artistry was also evident in other forms. For example, a change in burial rites
created the sarcophagus as a popular eternal abode for the Romans. Of Egyptian origin, sarcophagi
were a testament to the loss of traditional Italian religious notions. The sarcophagi of this era were
heavily decorated with reliefs.
Pictorial decoration of a Greek nature spread in Rome and then to the provinces. Examples could be
found in Germany and Gaul. But the actual emerging trend exhibited subtle differences. Mosaic artwork
used for floors and specific decorations of the 2nd and 3rd centuries belonged entirely to the Roman
artisans.
Hadrian's personal life also provided fodder for a specific art movement. The death of his lover
ANTINOUS in 130 A.D. caused Hadrian tremendous grief, and he ordered the carving of a series of
statues in his honor (as well as a religious cult and a city, which was founded in his name on the Nile).
The statues of Antinous came to epitomize the fading glory of the Western Empire. With their idealized
proportions, the statues appeared to represent all of the virtues that the Empire would need in order to
survive.
The Late Empire - From the time of Septimius SEVERUS (193-211) to CONSTANTINE THE GREAT
(306-337), official art patronage was concentrated in Rome. These years were ones of much military
activity, with a slowly deteriorating social system. Martial scenes dominated painting and relief
sculpture. The affairs of the Empire influenced the style. When Roman strength waxed, as in the reign of
GALLIENUS (c. 253 A.D., who restored Roman military supremacy), art forms reflected Latin
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