All About Purple: An Introduction

When thinking of the Imperial Roman Empire and the many Emperors that took rule through the centuries, we recall the imagery and symbolism carried with it through art. The representation of Emperors in their dress was constantly depicted in purple robes. Purple thereby became associated with Roman Imperial Emperors in art, portraiture, and architecture. The extraction process of each material, porphyry and murex dye, held great difficulty and was therefore expensive. With the large price tag of these materials use, it was then only the Emperors that could take advantage of these products. Through such restricted usage, association grew between emperor rule to porphyry and murex dye. The rarity of the colour purple and complexity of its production and extraction during the Imperial Roman Empire was the reason for its use as a status symbol and aesthetic antiquity.

Tetrarchs Porphyry

Sydney
Apr 16, 2018
1 min read

Located at St. Marco’s Basilica in Venice, the four Tetrarchs of Imperial Rome are depicted in porphyry (Harrell 2009). In this portrait, each Augustus is embracing a Caesar. Each of the Tetrarchs are undistinguished, other than the Augustus being shown with beards, to thereby represent age. The individuals are represented in this way throughout the Empire to signify equality of power and rule. With then turning to the porphyry portrait of the Tetrarchs, all themes of their representation are carried over. The colour and material of the stone reserved for the Emperors in this time, weighs into the importance of being represented as equals. In this way, all four Emperors are carved from one porphyry piece as to then be matched with equality and emperor imagery.

OWNERSHIP OF THE COLOUR PURPLE

IN THE IMPERIAL ROMAN EMPIRE

Tetrarchs Porphyry

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