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Republic, it is clear that the expressions on the faces of these two works
reflect contentment, pax romana and the power associated with the empire.
The creation of portraiture sculpture, however, truly began under the
influence of Augustan Rome's admiration of Hellenic/Greek culture and the
emperor's apparent determination to base a cultural renewal of Rome upon
it. But the imperial motivation had the aesthetic consequence that works of
the highest quality in all the arts was produced bearing the seal of the
Hellenic spirit. The prime example of this can be found in the Augustus of
Primaporta (ca. 20 B.C.E.) which reflects the sedate, idealized manner that
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