Reply To: Propaganda Art

[Laura Barber]

Art has a very powerful propagandistic effect. Anything from posters to sculptures to paintings can be used to instill certain ideas into people’s subconscious. One example of this in Roman culture was the sculpture of Augustus of Primaporta. The “strong, yet fair’ image of him helped citizens to trust him and by believing in the image of him, they began to believe in the actual man himself. Portraying Augustus as diplomatic, yet also militaristically skilled, helped to transition the civilization from the republic to the empire. Another example is Arch of Titus, built to commemorate a victory. Such architectural wonders serve to make the citizens feel proud of their officials and cause enemies to be intimidated by the grandeur of the city.