Ancient Influences on Art & Society

In this activity, you will:

• Compare and contrast an ancient portrait sculpture with an 18th-century portrait.
• Understand the far-reaching influence of the ideas and ideals of ancient Rome.

• Multiple Parts

Read About Sculptural Portraits

Sculptural portraits in both ancient Rome and 18th-century Europe were almost always made for the wealthy and powerful: emperors, generals, aristocrats, and political leaders. A popular style of sculpted portrait was a bust, which shows a person from the chest upwards. This kind of sculpture was expensive to commission and permanent in its materials, which made it a symbol of status and importance. The message was simple: this person matters enough to be preserved in stone.

That is what makes the two busts you are about to look at so unusual. They both use the visual language of elite portraiture for subjects who would not typically have had access to it. Keep that in mind as you look closely at each one.

Grave Relief of a Silversmith

Publius Curtilius Agatho was a former enslaved person who became a silversmith in ancient Rome. His relief bust records his name, his former owner, and his trade. For a man who began life without freedom, commissioning a portrait bust was a bold claim that said: "I have earned my place in this society and I deserve to be remembered."

Bust of a Man

Francis Harwood’s Bust of a Man was carved in 1758 by a British sculptor working in Florence, Italy. It depicts an African man rendered in fine black Belgian marble with the same careful attention and formal dignity given to any elite portrait. We do not know this man’s name or whether he was free or enslaved. In a period when the transatlantic slave trade was active, Harwood’s choice to honor this subject using the tradition of portrait sculpture was a significant and deliberate act.

Compare Portrait Busts

Look carefully at both busts and use the questions below to guide your observations and discussion.

Observe the Details

• What materials were used in each bust? What does the choice of material suggest about how the subject is being presented?
• Describe the pose and facial expression of each subject. What words would you use to describe how each person is being portrayed?
• What details does each bust include about the subject’s identity? What information is missing?

Make Inferences

• Harwood trained in Florence, where ancient Roman sculptures were widely studied and collected. What specific things do you notice in his bust that seem to borrow from the Roman portrait tradition you see in the Grave Relief of a Silversmith?
• Roman portrait busts were used to claim a permanent place in society. How does each bust make that same claim for a non-elite subject?
• Grave Relief of a Silversmith records his name and trade. Harwood’s subject remains unnamed. What does that difference tell us about the limits of who got to control their own story, even when an artist chose to honor them?

Put It Together: Write a Summary of Your Analysis

In 8-10 sentences, answer the following questions:

• What direct connections can you identify between Harwood’s Bust of a Man and the ancient Roman portrait tradition?
• What do those connections tell us about how ancient ideas shaped 18th-century art?

Your response should include details from your observations and inferences. Include your own view on whether the connection to the ancient portrait tradition makes Harwood’s statement more powerful.

A sculpture that shows only a person’s head, neck, and shoulders.

A human being who was taken against their will, treated as property, and forced to work for others without pay.

A sculpture where figures stick out from a flat background, like a 3D picture on a wall.