# Why Didn't Romans Carve the Eyeballs?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-romans-carve-the-eyeballs/313157>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 19, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-romans-carve-the-eyeballs/313157 "2005-07-19T16:48:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-romans-carve-the-eyeballs/313157/21 "2005-07-20T18:00:34Z")

</div>

Thanks for those photos. I seem to recall only ever seeing statues in monochrome as they were found. Heck, even _new_ statuary is always non-painted. I’d never, ever imagine that all of these great works of art were really quite gaudy looking. I think. Is it cultural indoctrination, or do I truly prefer just plain, white marble (or whatnot)?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-romans-carve-the-eyeballs/313157/22 "2005-07-20T19:16:21Z")

</div>

Note that renaissance (and later) sculpture was not painted, because the classical sculpture that inspired it had already lost its paint. At least, that’s my understanding.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-romans-carve-the-eyeballs/313157.md?page=1)