Art and Augustus

Chapter four of Cole’s The Informed Eye discusses the role art plays in the demonstration and symbolization of power. In it, Cole talks about various pieces of art from ancient times that reflect the power certain individuals had that the artist tried to convey to the audience. Though there are often glorified depictions of the individuals, they are images of perfection in art because they artist is attempting to uphold their reputation and stature.
The best demonstration of this is Cole’s observations on the statue “Augustus of Prima Porta”, which is displayed on page 24. Augus...