The Roman author, historian, and naturalist Pliny the Elder described the famous Greek sculptor Praxiteles in his book, Natural History, writing that “so much value did he assign to his coloring of surfaces,” that once, when Praxiteles was asked to name his favorite sculpture, h replied, “The ones to which [the painter] Nicias has set his hand.” This important literary reference provides a glimpse of evidence into the existence of polychromy (things decorated/painted in several colors).

The ancient practice of polychromy was first discovered during the excavations that took place at Pompeii. For example, this statue of Livia was foud at the site, showing clear traces of colors.

Unfortunately, art inspectors and authors at the time dismissed evidence about polychromy, saying that these pigments would have just been stains. The image here, however, suggests otherwise, with paint on the hair and precisely colored eyes. Most of the statue's paint has faded away, but the Egyptian blue dress and the color of the hair remain visible. Things like cleaning, a desire for pure, white marble, gradual disintegration of pigments, and other factors also play a key role in the abandonment of polychromy.

To detect pigments, new technologies have been developed, and UV and fluorescence lights have been used to detect colors on the sculpture. Vinzenz Brinkmann has created multiple restorations, giving an idea of how they may have appeared. However, information regarding polychromy is still relatively new, and there is a lack of complete restorations on the subject.

Examples and (sometimes speculative) reconstructions of polychromy across reliefs and statues (both marble and bronze) can highlight how all types of Roman sculpture may have looked like.

Reliefs

Reliefs, especially funerary ones, must've gleamed and would've been brightly colored. They would shine brightly in the environments where they would be placed, creating a desirable glow in dimly lit rooms that the Romans would like when honoring their dead.

An example of a painted relief would be the Anthus relief seen here.

This (purely hypothetical!) reconstruction of the marble relief can also show how sculptures would've looked. It has an array of different colors, with a podium that shows land. With color, there is story and detail to a sculpture.

Statues & Busts

Marble statues were finely polished before being painted. Some were even gilded, seen on Britannicus' hair and other parts of the garment where he sat. The statues must have been placed in a dim room on a statue base, so the setting in which it is displayed is quite bright. The reason for color is evident in such dark rooms, giving the story a clearer view of the subject portrayed.

Marble was great for polychromatic statues and reliefs. It was not hard or soft, and easy to cut and carve compared to other stones. When polished and painted on, marble could also make the skin gleam, as shown by recent research.

This bust of Germanicus shows the gleaming skin and the effect of the polished marble. The hair has shadows and highlights, making it look vibrant in any environment, contrary to people's perceptions of colored statues as flat.

Busts were also made for Emperors to act as their image when many people never saw the Emperor. The busts were copied and painted, and styles of painting (such as the Severan Tondo) were common on all busts since sculpture was displayed at the directive of the Emperor for propaganda. These busts of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna are good examples.

The busts have shadows and highlights, with details on the clothes, skin, and dresses. Julia Domna has gold highlights on her hair, as seen in the Severan Tondo, showing how Roman artists could emulate styles. Meanwhile, Septimius Severus has a beard carved in a way that resembles Serapis's, which shows he may have been a follower of the Egyptian deity.

Bronze

Bronzes were also painted. Bones, glass, and gemstones were used to make inlaid eyes that resembled that of real humans. Flesh-colored hues (like Copper) were used by painters for the skin and hair, giving an effect to its viewers that seemed lifelike, according to ancient authors.