Bust of Marcus Aurelius

A single block of marble was used for the creation of this portrait bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The image of the ruler, immediately recognizable, is depicted in military costume with a cuirass and paludamentum. He turns his head to the right and is characterized by an absorbed gaze, which reflects the appellative of "philosopher emperor" with which he went down to history. The Torlonia portrait can be placed in Type IV of images of Marcus Aurelius, as can be seen by the flaming locks at the hairline and the more idealized facial features. The date for the creation of the prototype is still uncertain, although a good occasion must have been that of 166 AD, the year of the triumph for the victory over the Parthians.

Inventory: MT 553

Material: White marble

Technique: Work sculpted through the use of: chisels (also square-tipped and toothed) rasps

Dating: Imperial age

Origin: From Ardea