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Flavian art is the artistic production of the Roman Empire during theFlavian dynasty (emperorsVespasian,Titus, andDomitian) from 69 to 96 AD.
Already at the time ofClaudius and Nero, the style of sculpture began to separate itself from theneo-Attic Athenian art that dominated the lateRepublic. This style was almost definitively abandoned under the Flavian dynasty. It is not fully known what the catalyst for this change was.
Two major trends emerged in sculpture: the use of a more nuancedchiaroscuro in thebas-relief, and the use of placing the figures in a three-dimensional space with regards to the perspective of the viewer.
The greatest symbol of the Flavian era is theArch of Titus, dated between 81 and 90. The architecture is denser and heavier than the arches of the Augustan era, such as theArch of Susa. This is a clear deviation from the traditionalHellenistic influence. Here for the first time in Rome theIonic/CorinthianComposite order appears, a more ornamental style. The numerous internal reliefs of the archway are extraordinarily significant and show two moments of the triumphal procession which took place in 71 after thecapture of Jerusalem byTitus.[citation needed]
In these pieces, we see the innovation of Roman relief. Evident are the thickened figures, with the height of the figures consistent with their location in space. Individual figures are represented as if they were moving within three dimensions. Furthermore, the figures do not move on a straight line, but on a convex curved line, clearly visible in the relief of the procession. On the left it appears the figures are moving towards the viewer, and on the far right, moving away as they enter under thePorta Triumphalis. This trend continued to be developed further during theNerva–Antonine dynasty.
This era saw the commission of theCancelleria Reliefs likely byDomitian, constructed around 90. These are imbued with classicism found in the era of Claudius, but also display the arrangement of the figures along a convex line.
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TheGreat Fire of Rome in 64 destroyed much of the city, making it necessary to rebuild. New squares were opened, the streets became wider and lined witharcades, and houses were constructed to a more limited height. Domitian rebuilt the burnt monuments at theCampus Martius, plus thePiazza Navona and theOdeon of Domitian.[1]
The Flavian dynasty, in particular under Domitian, oversaw the monumentalization of thePalatine Hill. The emperorsAugustus,Tiberius,Caligula, andNero all had residences on the hill, but the most grandiose palace was built by Domitian. ThePalace of Domitian, constructed by the architectRabirius, had at least three parts; theDomus Flavia, theDomus Augustana, and the gardens.
Architectural development in the Flavian era was of fundamental importance for the implementation of new techniques. This period saw an increase in the use of the hemispherical domes (Domus Transitoria, thenymphaeum at theVilla of Domitian), the development ofrib vaults (theColosseum), the use ofogives with brick arches in series, and the development ofbarrel vaults, which reach 33 meters in diameter in the Domitian vestibule of theRoman Forum.