The true colors of Augustus of Prima Porta

Reconstruction of the original polychromy of the statue of Augustus of Prima Porta.
More info (in spanish)
rodrigorivas3d....

[@paololiverani5480]

To the authors of the video: Please correct some disturbing mistakes: 1. the 2004 reconstruction was conceived by myself (Paolo Liverani) and not by Brinkmann; 2. The date of the original statue is 20 BC circa and not first cent. AD; 3. We do not have any evidence for saying that the vanishing of the colours was due to the cleansing: at the moment of the discovery every report highlighted the presence of the pigment describing a situation very similar to that rediscovered during the last restauration.

[@mukankakuna]

Thanks for your info and sorry for any inconvenience caused. I will add the new info in the video as best possible way youtube allows.

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

Yes dark to light blonde with blue eyes with yellow like lighting and he would have a tanned skin not fully pale

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

And in fact go watch game of throne it has history in that even low its story telling

[@MattieK09]

Does anyone know the scene displayed on his chest armor?

[@ericconnor8251]

Thanks for weighing in, Paolo! Glad to see the input of a professional in a KZbin comments section, which is usually devoid of intelligent or insightful commentary.

[@RealAugustusAutumn]

Imagine being the Artisan that carved this great statue and 2000 years later not only does it still stand, but people are restoring it to its original glory. We can only dream of creating something that lasts so long. We can't even get roads to last a decade.

[@GaelinW]

To be fair, the fact that it's made out of marble - made by the forces of the earth/nature not man - helps. All man did was carve it into a certain shape. Being covered for most of 2000 years also helped. Had it be exposed to wind, rain and pollution (not to mention road traffic), it probably wouldn't look like that.

[@takeshikatsutoshi]

Great job. Most of people still have the wrong idea that ancient statues and buildings from the Antiquity lacked colour, but archaeologists know that they were usually painted in full colour, including the Graeco-Roman statues and monumental façades, the Egyptian temples, the Maya pyramids and a very long etcetera. This video contributes to raise awareness about this fact.

[@robertopizzicato]

It doesn't make sense that people that were so unbelievably skilled sculpting would paint this bluntly. I bet it was way more elaborate and realistic.

[@jitske4719]

Exactly!!!

[@trindrf4901]

Anything but the skin and the face looks fine tbh, but yeah they had to look better even if they are just as gaudy/garish

[@qwertyuoip1234]

Nope. They looked like this.

[@TheInsaiyan]

@@qwertyuoip1234 we have a time traveler here

[@powersettingsm7172]

But 20 BC isn’t exactly as advanced as the 21st century. Sure the Romans were far ahead of everyone else, but that’s still rather ancient. They probably couldn’t easily find fine paint and accurate brushes.

[@mdsfo]

This is a fascinating subject, and as an artist with a love of bright color, I have a few comments. Today, we think of bright colors as childish, naive, garish, and unsophisticated. Many people in our culture actually seem to fear strong colors, preferring neutrals, browns, blacks, grays, and whites. I believe this is a modern peculiarity, and not something common or widespread in the ancient world. They would have seen rich colors as indicators of wealth, status, sumptuousness, and perhaps even divinity. The Romans decorated the interiors of their homes with wall to wall color, so to me it follows that their sculptures wouldn't have been left unpainted.

[@henrik3775]

To all the afro centrists: You know they found the remains of the chemicals used for the colors right, they didnt just guess them.

[@wisedragon173]

Ahem the hyperrealistic depictions of Augustus show clearly a generic European looking man. There is such a thing as physiognomy. Hence SSA people craved in ivory are still recognizable as such due to the depicted physiognomy, hair etc. Color isn't that important for indicating the ethnicity. Ancient Italic Romans were white and European people there is no room for debating that. Next time people will debate the gender of the Roman emperors and pretend we can't know whether they were females or males. We live in crazy times. However Afrocetnrists claim that King James, the Vikings, Native Americans and Chinese were black too. So don't take the delusional BS talk of liberal SJWs or Afrocentrists who claim that white marble color is the only real skin tone of real white people, seriously.

[@WilliamGarrow]

@@wisedragon173 I have never heard anyone claim Augustus was black. Where have you heard this?

[@ivorkovac303]

@@wisedragon173 Well they have already started smashing statues here in America for far less, so I wouldn't put it past them to smash the ancient Roman statues in order to deliberately obscure the various lies they want to push. I feel like we're at the cusp of falling into another dark age.

[@ivorkovac303]

Sad that this has to be stated. I wish discussions about history and science could be rational and fact based, but that doesn't really seem possible.

[@gamerito100]

@@WilliamGarrow I mean, there are even people who think Ptolomeian Pharaos were black xD

[@fabianofonda6758]

He became an old man, but his statues Always were 21.

[@pentirah5282]

Old Rome must have been sparkling with colors. I understand Egypt was similar. The Sphinx was in color.

[@NutnRoll]

I prefer the white marble color though. Adding colors to it just makes it look so... cartoonish. But I guess classical Romans didn't have the concept of something being cartoonish.

[@hannibalburgers477]

@LegoGuy87 Computer generated version of Augustus looks both realistic and just like the sculpture. I assume that that version would be the most accurate.

[@edeliteedelite1961]

It's because you've gotten used to the white marble and you have an idealized mental image of Rome in your head.

[@MrBl3ki]

They were most likely much more realistic in their depictions, especially the high-end ones of Roman Imperial family. Check Fayum mummy portraits to see what Romans were able to paint in 2D and imagine a better, more detailed 3D version - that is most likely how those statues looked like.

[@tomboerstra2533]

Tarragona is a an amazing place! They have many ancient projects there, especially Roman history, because Tarraco used to be Roman Hispania's province! The Armats (armoured ones) is an annual tradition where people dressed in Roman armour parade the streets. Small, but charming town, especially Pl. de la Font!

[@danielawesome36]

"Check out my awesome armor😁😎😍 #OOTD" - Augustus of Prima Porta

[@corbittgenter]

The coloring most likely for oil lamps , I bet it’s was breathtaking

[@mkultra8640]

Subtle shapes of the face seemed to be slightly off, like the corners around the mouth for example. compared to the original, maybe its just me. Not a big deal but it changes slightly for me the way i see the restoration, especially when shown next to the original. Really enjoyed it though. Thank you for posting.

[@mohankumarmurugesan]

Augustus came back and Captured the whole world with Facebook!

[@fightfannerd2078]

they could be related

[@mohankumarmurugesan]

@@fightfannerd2078 Or he never died

[@carlosbroch1004]

Suetonius, in his Lives of the Twelve Caesars, said that both Augustus and Nero had blond hair and blue eyes.

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

Yes dark to light blonde with blue eyes with yellow like lighting and he would have a tanned skin sounds a lot like me just not with fully tanned skin lol and i have a broken nose in 2 places never gotten it fixed I only tanned when i go south or the sun is out in all its glory and i think i'm a roma Britannic Celtic ! . Have you ever watched the real king Arthur the young boy ! where he is with cousin or something they are ginger and he is blonde lol . Viking aren't blonde and i do not think Gaul was blonde ? .

[@deterwibbenmeyer2967]

+PaulieWalnuts666 What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you so emotionally disturbed and weak by such a simple yet innocent comment? Of course in context, but the facts are in the ancient text themselves! No propaganda bullshit, you're just full in denial and believe in bullshit! MANY ANCIENT SOURCES that have survived describes them as blond hair and blue eyes! And yes blonde! blonde = fair hair! No bullshit! BLONDE HAIR AND BLUE EYES! BLUE EYES DUDE! What don't you get about this??! Why is this soooo hard to understand people?!?!?

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

well he is a Stalinist after all 666 jackass's

[@MusaMansu]

Another nordicist trying to claim the accomplishments of Southern Europeans.

[@MusaMansu]

We wuz Kangz n shiet. Total nonsense.

[@EonFafnir]

La verdad es que no me acabo de acostumbrar a la realidad cromática de las esculturas de la Antigüedad. Tengo la sensación perenne de que con solo el blanco del mármol la estatua resulta más solemne y más seria. La pupilas, por ejemplo, me resultan muy chocantes. Pero bueno, hay que tratar a aceptar la realidad siempre.

[@mukankakuna]

Tu sensación es compartida por la inmensa mayoría. La policromía en la antigüedad, no deja de ser un tema un tanto polémico. Lo cierto es que muchos historiadores simplemente lo omiten porque personalmente no les gusta. Poco a poco se van viendo más trabajos a este respecto. Te recomiendo que vayas al enlace que hay en la descripción para más información. Gracias por comentar.

[@creepermanpro]

Ave caesar Augustus

[@Neat_profile]

I wonder how nordicists will get over that one.

[@rr7firefly]

Maybe I am in the minority but I like it much better without the painted colors. Same goes for the Greek temples on the Parthenon.

[@andrej13666]

ha, music from the game "Titan Quest" ^^

[@mukankakuna]

Andrej Popovski Nice! You have a keen eye... or ear, hehe.

[@NijazLicina]

Is there also music from Age of Mythology?

[@mina7572]

Is there evidence for glazing or pigments to makee it look less extreme?

[@sharonmitchell2350]

Yes surely Art History- a passion!!

[@BavonWW]

You should add: "The pure colours at the time of..."

[@Puzzoozoo]

Wouldn't the cape had been better as imperial purple instead of red?

[@JG-re2bb]

I thought Augustus' hair was blonde according to Suetonius

[@joaobatistadeoliveiraolive5316]

Very good. Brazil

[@YourLordAnon]

From Conquering Demigod to baby-faced noble.

[@reenatai75]

the white statue is pretier

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

Its not white its cream lol and yes it is better ! but i do not think its fully right low .

[@ultravenia]

Not to the ancients. We live in an era of cheap dye. Back then, unless you were rich, you just didn't experience bright colors (outside of nature) except for these statues. We definitely don't have that problem today.

[@anthonyfox585]

I actually like them painted

[@mkultra8640]

Definitely. I do not share the romans loud view of sculptural style! Gaudy to my taste.

[@gamerito100]

They should restore them

[@kammonkam4905]

Hmm.. I actually much prefer the colorless one. The colored one looks like a cheap knock off you can get in Little Italy. The coloring is not subtle at all.

[@AnthonyEmmel]

I was thinking similar to cheap Roman Catholic saint statues. :)

[@dianaadhikari45]

People like whatever they're used to liking

[@edeliteedelite1961]

Of course, that's what you have seen your whole life and it's what you're used to.

[@dianaadhikari45]

Wouldn't he be wearing empiric purple, not red

[@brent4770]

I thought purple was for royal??

[@Scriptum_1]

Wait, that armor has nipples? An awkward detail for a majestic statue if you ask me, just like that kind of horrible pygmy behind it

[@ivorkovac303]

Would the chest piece really be white though? Also, I've seen these old Roman chest pieces that look to be skin tight, and I've often wonered what they were made out of. I know the Romans had plate metal in the 1st century, and later on the wore mail armor, but what is this skin tight version made out of? Is it supposed to be leather?

[@feibdegrassi1646]

Well no, is made of iron and wasn't skin tight.

[@ivorkovac303]

@@feibdegrassi1646 If it's made out of Iron how does he bend?

[@feibdegrassi1646]

@@ivorkovac303 he can bend, the plate stop before the hips.

[@VRichardsn]

Titan Quest... buena elección.

[@mukankakuna]

Muchas gracias. Ha dado usted en el clavo. Le felicito por su buen oído.

[@VRichardsn]

@@mukankakuna ¡Muchas gracias! Las felicitaciones van para ustedes, por el buen gusto.

[@fixpontt]

pure white looks better than the colored versions

[@mariogonzales6141]

Grande trajano

[@GrlzzIy]

TITAN QUEST MUSIC FTW

[@user-ge4uk9ui8y]

why don't they do this with all the busts and statues, facade walls?

[@leggoloon8101]

@⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ What a user name!

[@user-te1ot7ux7c]

brother!

[@CENTURION.CARPATIC]

Wow! A barbarian wearing barbarian pants on the armor of an important Roman?!?! Beautiful!

[@ericconnor8251]

That "barbarian" just so happens to represent a Parthian diplomat handing over the battle standards and eagle lost by Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae. Through diplomacy, Augustus was able to retrieve them, which he considered a major diplomatic coup. He advertised this achievement in many ways, including this very statue.

[@vgovger4373]

I don't know about the hot pink robe though?

[@Lemonidas75]

Ave Caesar

[@ewanmcgregor5942]

Looks like Zuckerberg

[@jill_temple1111]

😂

[@costhee242]

Goths were light eyed (neanderthal DNA)

[@novakattila]

@@costhee242 But Neanderthals did not have light eyes

[@outis439-A]

@breakline I think they did

[@thecraplordsell4575]

hornswoggle lover39 the Romans were tan

[@augustuscaesar1990]

im blonde y’all

[@MillenniumRP]

@@Shokan-mm8sj You don't know that.

[@wisedragon173]

@@Shokan-mm8sj Actually Augustus had dark blond hair and blue eyes.

[@Griff99ita]

@@Shokan-mm8sj i am south italian and i have blonde hair and blue eyes

[@Shokan-mm8sj]

@@Griff99ita yes and? Most don't, you may have some norman blood or maybe you descend from blond romans

[@gamerito100]

@@Shokan-mm8sj So just because most don't Augustus was like most?

[@colombianmonarchist]

.

[@simoneteritti1120]

Per me è piu bella senza colori

[@olly6929]

White looks better

[@riverratbond007]

Certainly not a 'professional' on this, but I have to ask, why would one make a statue of the finest marble in Italy & then paint it. The Romans were doing amazing things with concrete, if they were painted portraits, wouldn't it make sense to just create something in concrete instead of cutting & hauling a 20 ton piece of marble from the mountains of Carrera just to cover it up. I can accept that maybe some of them had color, but a fully painted flawless Carrera marble statue which is painted makes as much sense as a 'big bang theory.

[@M1s7erH]

Concrete is not translucent. Marble is, which makes it look closer to skin.

[@stuka80]

I probably would've appreciated the colored status more if they didn't remind me of creepy, disturbing, suffering statues in catholic churches. As it goes, i much rather prefer the uncolored white statues.

[@thenoblepoptart]

You would probably like it more if you lived at the time, and witnessed such statues in the richly painted temples and portocoes of Rome

[@filiphedvicak]

The colouring job is so poor the coloured statue actually loses part of its realism. Shame on this attempt, cudos to the original!

[@hannibalburgers477]

Colored version looks less alive. Like a Ken doll

[@calebcustombricks2631]

The statues had colour originally. This is, to the best of our knowledge, what the original looked like.

[@filiphedvicak]

@@calebcustombricks2631 Of course these statues had colours originally. It was proven numerous times by colour residues. I meant this modern colouring job is done so poorly that it denegrates the realism of the statue. I believe that with proper modern colouring job this statue has the potential to look alive, as I believe it looked back then.

[@mrJohnDesiderio]

Hideous . Even if they were colored, how could they be rendered so ugly when the underlying sculpture is so exquisite ? These are artless conjectures and look like total failures in scholarship

[@peynirformaggio6915]

I like it without color, looks more magnificent, with those colors it looks like a cheap circus statue 🤡 🎪 or like from a carousel.

[@lucabralia5125]

well, it's how it was made

[@sidneybaldwin3744]

Let me go back in time a minute 🤪❤️😭 this really sucks cuz my weird ass got a crush on a dead man💀💀😂

[@jozefkovac7036]

Caesar and Augustus, the original Trumps! :)

[@pepsilight05]

I believe the romans didnt paint their realistic statues that bad like the warhammer figures from my childhood :D

[@rigobatiancila5824]

who else here for ap art history?

[@massinissaziriamazigh8122]

Zuckerberg 😂👆

[@HN-eq2fj]

En realidad no son "The true colors of..." sino una hipótesis de cómo podría haber sido el original.

[@heliotropezzz333]

What's most interesting is the colour of the hair. Was it really red? I've never seen him portrayed in films or television with red hair.

[@thealexprime]

Red? Its blondish to brownish

[@betty5064]

The head is different on the painted one.

[@JamesMartinelli-jr9mh]

A. 'Give the Plebeians that which they will'. B. 'Garish colors on.... '? A. 'Yes, in 2,000 years what will it matter? '. B.

[@katemayer3478]

Augustus was blond. According to his biographer Suetonius, "his hair was slightly curly and inclining to golden; his eyebrows met", and "He had clear, bright eyes". The fact that he was a Latin doesn't mean that he couldn't have been blond, and besides the Latins of that time were not identical to modern Latins. And anyways, I don't see why anyone would deny the words of his own biographer just because most Latins today are brown haired. People seem to forget that miscegenation has changed the look of whole societies in our history.

[@mukankakuna]

As the authors said, this reconstruction is based on the remaining traces of color that have been survived. BTW, I'm not the author so I can not provide more specifics in the matter.

[@lethodeestagira8570]

true he was blond just like many italians are blond but there was no miscegenation in italy except for the lombards which were even more white

[@augustuscaesar2673]

Kate Mayer He was never described as blonde, but rather as "Subflavum". That is believed to translate as either slightly blonde or light brown. There is also a big difference between what we would consider blonde today and what was considered blonde in Ancient Rome. Historians will tell you to take any discription of hair color from back then with a grain of salt.

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

Yes dark to light blonde with blue eyes with yellow like lighting and he would have a tanned skin sounds a lot like me just not with fully tanned skin lol and i have a broken nose in 2 places never gotten it fixed I only tanned when i go south or the sun is out in all its glory

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

That's if that blonde only came out when in the hot sun mostly if we are in the north we grow out of having blonde hair i do not think he was a ginger lols# most people have been brain washed into thinking blue eye's and blonde hair is evil by the Jews not Hitler

[@evankeep5536]

So they used FTIR to tell what the color what at various parts and then decided to Paint Bucket Tool all the space around it that color? So obviously wrong

[@kenneth9343]

It looks much better without paint

[@letsgetthisoverwith]

I feel like the pale white marble is a lot better, regal and godlike than the tacky abomination that is the technicolor hell version.

[@NA-oc7eq]

They look like those catholic statues

[@hysni]

Not bad for T-shirt designers this is rather nice

[@joseanibalberrios2758]

Great Jobs

[@ethanhu4165]

I think mine‘s better

[@The-kr9rb]

My Emperor?! HAIL!

[@massinissaziriamazigh8122]

HAIL! Zuckerberg 😂