The Portus Relief

Created for the Art Institute of Chicago’s exhibition Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture, this film centers on a 3D scan of the Portus Relief, a densely detailed image of the harbor that served imperial Rome. Combining close-looking cinematography, narration, and a 3D reconstruction of the ancient port, it guides viewers through the relief’s ships, architecture, mythological figures, and protective symbols, using a single object as a way into the visual culture and everyday experience of the Roman world.