The rising paintings of Roman Empire

The expansion of the Roman Empire two millennia ago fuel a boom in culture and art, explored in an upcoming exhibition here spotlighting painting from the past.

This period - from the empire's birth, with the arrival of Julius Caesar in 46 BC, through its growth into a vast colonial power - was a time of vigorous cultural development that laid the foundational groundwork for future generations of Western artists. Landscapes, still life’s, portraits, myth and religion are all depict in the paintings, which come in a variety of forms, from large-scale frescos to miniature paintings on wood, to stonework decorative patterns and complete friezes.

The paintings almost all come from prestigious institutions, including the British Museum in London, the Vatican Museum and the Louvre in Paris, where, say organizers, they are all too often overlooked among a wealth of other Ancient Roman treasures. This exhibition aims to restore appreciation for a few of these magnificent pieces, not only as generic representations of Ancient Roman art, but also as beautiful paintings in their own right.