Athenian Vase Painting: Black- and Red-Figure Techniques | Thematic Essay. Art and Archaeology Artifact Browser. Augustus of Prima Porta. Ancient Rome | Art History: Ancient Rome. The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Home. Ara Pacis Augustae. Facade Back, Front, East, West? This facade of the surrounding precinct wall is usually decribed as the "back" because it has been seen as such by the public since the Ara Pacis was first installed in its 1937-38 pavillion.
But to call this facade the "back" distorts the character of the surrounding precinct wall. The sacrificial altar within has a front and back, but the surrounding precinct wall has two opposite, corresponding fronts. This is an essential aspect of the design and meaning of the Ara Pacis. Read more... Some scholars have argued, quite persuasively, that this facade of the Ara Pacis was the public front, because it faced the Via Flaminia, the main public avenue on which the Ara Pacis fronted. This facade is also referred to as the "east". Originally Painted? Read more... Tips for using this website Pages: « previous next » Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art.