Description
The recovery of the Vestals' house, and statues of the priestesses, was an exciting moment in Roman archaeology. In 1883 Rodolfo Lanciani, Director of Antiquities for Rome, discovered the first Vestal statues. Newspapers were filled with details about the huge numbers of sculptures, inscriptions, jewelry, coins, and terracotta figures.
Portraits of the Vestal Virgins, Priestesses of Ancient Rome investigates what images of long-dead women tell us about what was important to them. It addresses why portraits were made, and why their portraits - first set up in the late 1st or 2nd century CE - began to appear so much later than portraits of other nonimperial women and other Roman priestesses. The author sheds light on identifying a Vestal portrait among those of other priestesses, and considers why Vestal portraits do not copy each other's headdresses and hairstyles. Fourteen extensively illustrated chapters and a catalog of all known portraits help consider historical clues embedded in the hairstyles and facial features of the Vestals and other women of their day. What has appeared to be a mute collection of marble portraits has been given a voice through this book.
About the Author
Molly M. Lindner is Associate Professor (retired) in the Department of Art at Kent State University-Stark Campus, USA. She has published on portraits ofwomen in antiquity and on the pedagogy of art history.
Book Information
ISBN 9780472118953
Author Molly M. Lindner
Format Hardback
Page Count 318
Imprint The University of Michigan Press
Publisher The University of Michigan Press
Weight(grams) 675g