The Mediality of Figurative Scenes on the Funerary Monuments of Gallia Belgica
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The project explores how figurative representations on Roman funerary monuments mediate communication between patrons and viewers, as well as the media strategies employed in this process. Particular attention is given to narrative structures and techniques for directing the viewer’s gaze. The research focuses on funerary monuments from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD in the province of Gallia Belgica. Owing to their rich figurative decoration and wide range of representational themes, these monuments provide particularly suitable material for investigation. In addition to their detailed imagery, many of the monuments evoke movement and spatial connectivity, for example through depictions of trade networks and patterns of exchange. A central aspect of the study concerns the use of framing devices in the structuring of visual narratives. Scenes are frequently framed externally by architectural ornamentation or decorated pilasters, while internal framing is achieved through furniture, architectural features, or landscape elements. These framing strategies fulfil a variety of, at times, contradictory functions, simultaneously delimiting and expanding the viewer’s perspective. The project is connected to a DFG-funded research project initiated in 2016 at the Institute of Archaeological Sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt on Roman funerary monuments from Augusta Treverorum in a supraregional comparative perspective. The results of the present case study will form a distinct section of the final project publication. Building on these findings, the project will subsequently pursue a broader investigation of media strategies in funerary art across different regions of the Roman Empire.
Contact: Dr. Michaela Stark |