The power of an identity is one of the most important aspects of developing a sense of self for a person. In turn, the power to control the formulation of an identity, whether of an individual person or of an entire empire, is incredibly valuable. Identity played a crucial role in the development of Rome over the course of antiquity, but also in the modern period. Over the course of Roman history during the Republic, the Empire, and in the modern time period art and architecture played the role of emphasizing the uniformity of identity. This was done largely by creating a normalization of expected societal norms and values through various representations in artwork as well as in the construction of various architectural works. One of the
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Although the form of government changed at this time, the use of art and architecture to instill values of uniformity in terms of identity was still useful. Specifically during the Roman Empire, Roman artwork can be viewed standardizing identity for slaves in particular. As Lenski argues, slavery as an institution could be and was naturalized and normalized through the utilization of imagery of a slave’s ever-ready servitude for their master through depictions of slaves in sculptures being used as useful household objects, such as lanterns or pepper shakers. (136) In this way, the identities of slaves as a social group were made to be uniform through their depictions in sculptures as tools. By creating this understanding, artwork in the Roman Empire was able to help reiterate the general position and role of slaves in …show more content…
However, similar qualities are surprisingly transcendent when examining Fascist architecture commissioned under the rule of Benito Mussolini. The standardization of identity under Mussolini was unique, given that instead of creating a fresh uniformity within certain groups of society at that given moment as had been done with the advent of the new Republic and with slaves during the Roman Empire, this uniform identity was crafted by a linearization of an Italian history and the formulation of a common story for the Italian people. Architecture specifically under Mussolini, despite the call for a unique Fascist style, attempted to provide allusions to traditional Roman forms in ways that were stylistically simplistic in nature. (Gessert, 427.) By forming such a technique, Fascist architects such as Marcello Piacentini hoped to evoke sentiments that were both reminiscent of modernity and of romanità, or “Roman-ness.” (Gessert 429.) Accompanying Mussolini’s vast efforts to excavate and preserve certain monuments and artifacts from antiquity, the Fascist government was in essence attempting to create a uniform identity for the Italian people in the 20th century by rediscovering their past glory, and was doing so by creating architectural pieces which tied together both ends of their societal
Although the form of government changed at this time, the use of art and architecture to instill values of uniformity in terms of identity was still useful. Specifically during the Roman Empire, Roman artwork can be viewed standardizing identity for slaves in particular. As Lenski argues, slavery as an institution could be and was naturalized and normalized through the utilization of imagery of a slave’s ever-ready servitude for their master through depictions of slaves in sculptures being used as useful household objects, such as lanterns or pepper shakers. (136) In this way, the identities of slaves as a social group were made to be uniform through their depictions in sculptures as tools. By creating this understanding, artwork in the Roman Empire was able to help reiterate the general position and role of slaves in …show more content…
However, similar qualities are surprisingly transcendent when examining Fascist architecture commissioned under the rule of Benito Mussolini. The standardization of identity under Mussolini was unique, given that instead of creating a fresh uniformity within certain groups of society at that given moment as had been done with the advent of the new Republic and with slaves during the Roman Empire, this uniform identity was crafted by a linearization of an Italian history and the formulation of a common story for the Italian people. Architecture specifically under Mussolini, despite the call for a unique Fascist style, attempted to provide allusions to traditional Roman forms in ways that were stylistically simplistic in nature. (Gessert, 427.) By forming such a technique, Fascist architects such as Marcello Piacentini hoped to evoke sentiments that were both reminiscent of modernity and of romanità, or “Roman-ness.” (Gessert 429.) Accompanying Mussolini’s vast efforts to excavate and preserve certain monuments and artifacts from antiquity, the Fascist government was in essence attempting to create a uniform identity for the Italian people in the 20th century by rediscovering their past glory, and was doing so by creating architectural pieces which tied together both ends of their societal