Antinous – Item #139

30 Inches High x 17 Inches Wide x 17 Inches Deep

After Antinous, Emperor Hadrian’s lover, died, Hadrian had many statues made of him. Since the man’s features were always idealized in the Hellenistic style, it cannot be assumed that the statues are actual portraits of Antinous. Here, Antinous is depicted as the god Dionysus, complete with a wreath of ivy. Note that the bust of this piece is a modern addition to the Roman head.

Artist: Unknown

Museum: British Museum, London

Time Period: Ancient Roman, c. 130-140 C.E.

Sources:

“Portrait Head.” Museum number 1805,0703.97. The British Museum,   http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?partId=1&objectId=460095.

Ramage, Nancy H. and Andrew Ramage. “Hadrian and the Classical Revival, AD 117-138.” Roman Art: Romulus to Constantine. 5th ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009, pp. 229-255.