The White Lie We've Been Told About Roman Statues

Who was the first official emperor of the Roman Empire?

• Julius Caesar

• Augustus

• Nero

• Constantine

Where is the 'Augustus of Prima Porta' sculpture currently located?

• The Louvre Museum

• The British Museum

• The Vatican Museums

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Why do most people think ancient sculptures were white?

• They were originally white

• Hollywood movies depicted them as white

• High school textbooks described them as white

• Michelangelo sculpted them as white

Who is often referred to as the father of Art history?

• Johann Joachim Winckelmann

• Leonardo da Vinci

• Raphael

• Vincent van Gogh

What evidence was ignored by Johann Joachim Winckelmann in his book on ancient art?

• Descriptions of colored marble

• Frescoes from Pompeii

• A mural of an artist painting a sculpture

• All of the above

What happened to the color of the 'Augustus of Prima Porta' sculpture?

• It faded over time

• It was intentionally removed

• It was accidentally lost during cleaning

• All of the above

What technique do scientists use to determine the original pigments used on ancient sculptures?

• Chemical analysis

• X-ray imaging

• Ultraviolet light

• Infrared photography

What did color add to ancient sculptures according to the Greeks and Romans?

• Realism and human-like qualities

• Drama and emotion

• Historical and mythological significance

• All of the above

What do conservationists use to create accurate replicas of ancient sculptures?

• 3D scanners

• Plaster molds

• Paintbrushes

• Digital software

Why might seeing ancient sculptures in color be shocking to some people?

• They are used to seeing them in black and white

• They are not accustomed to the vibrant colors

• They believe ancient sculptures were always white

• All of the above