ART IN ROMAN LIFE

DUE WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19, 2022, AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS

PRINTED COPY MUST BE SUBMITTED
WORTH 10% OF YOUR FINAL GRADE

The Basics
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (CRMA) features an extensive collection of art and artifacts from antiquity.
This assignment requires you to visit the museum’s Art in Roman Life exhibition to observe and analyze the
objects and artworks on display. Be sure to take this assignment sheet and the attached questionnaire with you
to the CRMA.

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (CRMA) Details

As mentioned, you need to visit the Art in Roman Life exhibition at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Your Coe
student ID gives you FREE admission, so be sure to take it with you.

CRMA location:
410 3rd Avenue SE
**If you plan to walk, please consider going with a classmate or friend for safety reasons.
**Please check the CRMA’s website for Covid safety measures.

CRMA hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Thursday
12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays and major holidays.

Museum Etiquette
It will benefit you to read “Helpful Resource: Visiting Museums by Sayre” posted on the course Moodle page. I
also included links for the CRMA’s website regarding their “Tips for Your Visit.”

In addition, here are some “musts” about doing work in a museum:

1. Don’t get too close to the art and don’t touch it either (unless it is permitted but rarely is that the case).
2. Photography—without a flash—MAY be used in some museums and galleries. Therefore, it is always
wise to check with the information desk about the institution’s photography policy.
3. NO SELFIE STICKS!!
4. Use loose-leaf paper and a LEAD PENCIL to take notes. Never bring a pen, colored pencils, or markers
into an art gallery.
5. If the museum has one, use the coatroom to check your coat, bags, backpack, packages, umbrella, etc.
6. No food or beverages are allowed in the galleries.
7. Talk (quietly) and ask questions. Please do NOT talk on your cell phone while in the galleries though.
Be courteous and respect your fellow museum visitors. Their experience with the art matters, too.

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How to do the Assignment
1. Print this assignment sheet and attached questionnaire (see below) before you go to the museum.

2. At the CRMA, find the Roman busts (sculptures) that match the descriptions in the questionnaire.
Respond to the questions using COMPLETE SENTENCES and appropriate VOCABULARY TERMS.
Try to figure out the answers to the questions BEFORE consulting the gallery guide (booklet).

3. You are welcome to type your responses or write them by hand. If you type your answers, please
double space your text, use 12-point Times New Roman font, and use one-inch margins. Whether
you hand-write or type your answers, they must be in complete sentences and legible.

Helpful Hints
 Use formal analysis to describe the artwork. Use the vocabulary you learned in class AND by reading
the wall labels in the museum. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE the WALL LABELS or the GALLERY
GUIDE!! I have all of the text from the wall labels and the gallery guide. I will know if you plagiarized.
 Use contextual analysis to describe the artwork. Again, use the vocabulary you have learned. DO NOT
PLAGIARIZE THE WALL LABELS!!
 Justify your answer with your analysis. Try to dig a bit deeper and think about the image, the artist (if
applicable), the subject matter, and the time period when it was made.
 Use complete sentences!!
 Use formal language and grammar. No slang. No abbreviated words.
 Re-read and edit your responses, ensuring there are no errors in your answers.

Grading Criteria
The deadline to submit your assignment is at the beginning of class on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022. You must
submit a printed copy of the worksheet included below.

Here is the grade rubric for this assignment:

Art Analysis (60 pts.) ______

Thoroughly answering the question(s)
Thoughtful critique of art using formal
and contextual analysis
Informed opinions are presented clearly
and with evidence to support them

Editing and Polishing (40 pts.) ______

Coherent text
Grammar/punct./edit/proofread
Complete sentences
Professional, scholarly tone
No plagiarism!
Appropriate use of language
Double-spaced text (if typed)
Appropriate fonts and margins (if typed)

TOTAL (100 pts.) ______

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Introduction to Art History NAME _________________________
Art in Roman Life assignment Fall 2022

Find the Roman busts that match the descriptions below. Respond to the specific questions using
COMPLETE SENTENCES and APPROPRIATE VOCABULARY. Be thorough in your answers!!

1. I was the first emperor of Rome, and I brought peace and prosperity to my people. My distinctive
facial features are similar to those portrayed on a famous standing portrait of me, where I am
dressed as a general. Who am I? How does my portrait here in the museum visually reference
High Classical Greece? (Be specific by describing individual features in your response.)

2. I was a Roman emperor who was not well-liked during my own lifetime. My features suggest that
my worries about being assassinated may not have been misplaced. Who am I? Find my portrait
bust and identify two specific visual features that suggest my harsh and intense
personality. (Don’t just list the features; describe them in detail in relationship to personality.)

3. I am the visionary Roman emperor who may have been responsible for the building of the famous
Pantheon. My bearded countenance and upward gaze might indicate my interest in inventive
engineering. Who am I? Does my portrait appear as innovative as my famous temple? Why or
why not? (Be specific!)

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4. In the gallery, we are positioned next to each other—two women, one an idealized beauty
(Antonine Woman as Venus) and the other more serious and sober (Julio-Claudian Matron). What
specific visual features appear most prominently on each of us? How do we compare to the
portraits of the emperors who share the room with us?

5. You have seen my portrait before, when I was seated high atop my horse and gesturing outward
as a sign of greeting or clemency. Who am I? Do I offer the same impact when you can only see
my head? How might this image of me still suggest the power of my imperial rule? (Think
about the connection between visual imagery and how the Romans used it within government,
religion, society, etc.)

6. How does seeing all of us (a.k.a. these sculptures) in person DIFFER from viewing an image in
a book, online, or in class? Or, if you don’t detect any real difference between these
experiences, explain why.

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