LLEI D'ART 14

ROMA EstatuadePolimnia Probablemente Italia. Siglo I o II d.C. Mármol griego (parte inferior) ymármol deCarrara (parte superior) ColecciónBorghese Statue representingPolimnia Probably Italy. First or SecondCenturyAD Greekmarbre (lower part) andCarraramarbre (upper part). BorgheseCollection ©Muséedu Louvre yAFA. 2006 Foto/ Photo AnneChauvet CaixaForumMadrid Hasta el 14 de Febrero de 2015 However, despite the subordinate role – essentiallymothers and spouses –women had a notable role inRoman society compared toother ancient societies. Rome oversaw an evolution in thewoman’s condition, noticeable in the habits and inmentality. This exhibitiondetails this status of certain privilege that women attained through178daily objects fromRoman villadecoration that translated into various representations seen through theprisms ofmythology, religion andmotherly strength, aswell as in allegories of seduction and excess. Paradoxically, women feature in the oftenmythological representations that unfold in the decoration: from spirit-inspiringmuses toVenus, image of beauty and seduction; from the virtuousMinerva and Diana, cast-irondefenders of virginity and virtue to the monstrousGorgons and sirens; from the life-givingwomen that personifiednatural strength and cycles to the forgers of terrible tragedies and ill-omeneddisasters likeMedea or Pasiphaë. Curiously inportraits, the lack of indications of the archaeological contextmeans that hairstyles are themain dating criteria: in this aspect fashions varied enormously over time andweremarkedby thewomenof the imperial court, andpublic sculpturemeant that Romanwomenwere familiar with them. The exhibition traces an exhaustivepath andproposes a multi-faceted approach to the images associatedwith the femaleworld inRoman civilization. TheRomanwoman had an important place compared toother ancient societies, and therewas a certain evolution in their condition, something seen in their customs and in theirmentality, representation and family decoration. This change ofmentality generates Womenof Rome: Seductive,maternal andexcessive CaixaForumMadrid Until 14th of February 2016 Bymeans of exceptional pieces from the Louvre, CaixaForumMadriddives into thediverse andplural female image from ancient Rome in an exhibition commissioned byDaniel Roger andAuréliePiriou, both experts from the lattermuseum’sDepartment of Greek, Etruscan andRoman Antiquities. TheRomanwomanwas the object of both love and fear, of desire anddisdain.Whether shewas a respectablematronor a harlot, apriestess or an empress, shewas considered inferior according to the laws of the time. Taking into account the virtue of the landscape for males, by contrast womenweremoved away from civic life and sobegan to take on new roles. Seductoras,Maternales, Excesivas MUJERES de