“A Whiter Shade of Pale: Relative and Absolute White in Roman Sculpture and Architecture,” in S. Clerbois & M. Droth eds., Revival and Invention: sculpture through its material histories, (New York: Peter Lang, 2011): 31-62 (original) (raw)

The paper explores the significance and implications of the color white in Roman sculpture and architecture. It highlights the intentional choice of white marbles despite the availability of a variety of colored materials during the Augustan era and discusses the symbolic meanings associated with white, including purity and divinity. The study traces the historical context of this aesthetic preference, examining the transition to colored marble in later periods while affirming the lasting prominence of white in Roman cultural memory.