unidealized figures
Explanation:
The Trajan's Column belongs to the typology of Roman commemorative architecture and is thought to have been inspired by the Egyptian obelisks. It is an urban monument, simultaneously architecture and sculpture, which had the function of marking a historical moment, giving it a documentary and honorary character.
It was built in 112-114 in Rome at the Trajan Forum on the tomb of this emperor to commemorate the victory of the Romans against the Dacians.
Its construction was conceived and directed by the architect Apolodoro of Damascus and demonstrates the historical and triumphalist spirit of the Romans who, in an original way, glorified their emperor.
The column is about 37 meters. Its shaft is hollow - inside there is a spiral staircase, made of white marble, that rises to the top - and rests on a drum or pedestal, cubically shaped, also hollow and decorated with reliefs of military trophies. This one had a bronze door on which was a dedicatory inscription. Making the transition between plinth and column, there is a torus covered with laurel wreaths.
It is decorated with a historical reliefs that unfold around the column and tells the countless events of the two Dacia campaigns, covering the 43 windows that illuminate the interior staircase. At the top of the column is a monumental Doric capital, topped by a bronze eagle, symbol of the Empire. It was later replaced by a bronze statue of Trajan and now has a statue of St. Peter, placed in 1588.
The scenes are realistic and naturally treated, succeeding each other without separations or dividing lines. This narrative presents a true “horror of emptiness” due to its density and large number of characters.
The column is narrated through various marble scenes depicting geographical, logistical and political aspects of the campaign. But what stands out from the whole representation is the magnanimity of the emperor, who welcomes the vanquished with generosity. The emperor is shown as the great protagonist who directs and directs the works, intervenes in battles and acodes in complicated situations.
