The Tellus Panel, Ara Pacis, 13-9 BCE, Rome

The Tellus panel is part of the Ara Pacis from 13-9 BCE. The Ara Pacis sits in a large room with glass walls so that natural light shines in from every angle. The monument was erected to celebrate peace so it makes sense that it sits in a quiet, tranquil haven in the middle of Rome. I remember being so struck by the way the light changed as the sun began to set and it reflected off the white marble of the Ara Pacis. 

The Tellus Panel specifically focuses on the figure of a woman thought to be the allegory for Mother Nature. It depicts a mother earth figure surrounded by nature and life, holding two children who are sucking on her breasts. This scene has also been interpreted as a personification of Rome, with the mother symbolizing the wolf and the two babies symbolizing Romulus and Remus suckling the milk. Regardless of the interpretation, we see a curvy figured woman with flowing robes and a headscarf surrounded by all forms of life - plants, animals, children. There are no real specific characteristics to her; it’s easy to imagine any Roman matron of the time might have looked like her. This concept of familiarity adds to the greater allegorical meaning of the panel. The figure is supposed to represent something larger than herself, something like Mother Nature or the entire city of Rome.