Between Expressionism and Classicism: Stylistic Choices as Means of Legitimisation in Late Fourth-Century Imperial Portraits

The contribution analyses the imperial sculptural portraits of the late fourth century AD, depicting the rulers of the Valentinian and Theodosian dynasties. The main iconographic and stylistic features of the surviving portraits are investigated in order to see how the established imperial image, as defined by Constantine, was transformed according to the new self-representational needs of this later period. Particular attention is devoted to examining how the emperors’ role was conceptualised through the representation of their facial features and attributes. The analysis of the portraits of the Valentinian dynasty sheds light on the multi-faceted self-representation of these emperors, who sought to combine the idealised traits of the Constantinian imperial image with a more effective expression of military strength and readiness to action; Theodosius, on the contrary, based his own portrait, as well as those of his sons, exclusively on a strong classicising ideal, depriving the imperial image of every surviving realistic feature. The archaeological data (where available) are discussed in order to further clarify the significance of the imperial portraits within their social and monumental contexts: special attention is devoted to understanding the role of images as means for the negotiation of imperial behaviour, in a close dialogue between rulers, local elites, and the viewers’ expectations.