DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15101#0087
PLATE XXVI.
BUST OF ANTONINUS PIUS.
A small bust of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, wearing the usual
military attire, in nearly perfect preservation, and affording an
admirable specimen of the minute and highly-finished style of
sculpture which prevailed in the times of the Antonines. The
ears are executed with elaborate exactness.
The pourtraits of Antoninus are well known, and invariably
represent the same character of countenance. The highly-promi-
nent forehead—the short, curly, and closely-cut hair—a beard
bushy at the side of the cheeks, and, though not long, covering
the whole of the lower part of the face—and a grave, but sweet,
expression about the mouth may be traced alike on his coins,
many of which are as perfect as the day they were struck, and
on the numerous statues and busts of him still extant.
Visconti,(1) in his account of the Museo Pio Clementino, speaks
of several statues of this Emperor, and states that the finest with
which he was acquainted are in the Farnese, Neapolitan, Borghese,
and Chigi collections. The Museum has, also, an excellent bust
of him, formerly in the Grimani Palace at Rome.
This bust represents the Emperor at a very advanced age.
Antoninus Pius Avas born at Lanuvium, on the 19th of Septem-
ber? a.d. 86, and from a very early period of his life gave indica-
tions of his future worth. In a.d. 120 he became Consul, and
was soon afterwards selected by Hadrian as one of the four Viri
1 Visconti, Mus. Pio Clem. vol. vi. t. 48.
ii
BUST OF ANTONINUS PIUS.
A small bust of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, wearing the usual
military attire, in nearly perfect preservation, and affording an
admirable specimen of the minute and highly-finished style of
sculpture which prevailed in the times of the Antonines. The
ears are executed with elaborate exactness.
The pourtraits of Antoninus are well known, and invariably
represent the same character of countenance. The highly-promi-
nent forehead—the short, curly, and closely-cut hair—a beard
bushy at the side of the cheeks, and, though not long, covering
the whole of the lower part of the face—and a grave, but sweet,
expression about the mouth may be traced alike on his coins,
many of which are as perfect as the day they were struck, and
on the numerous statues and busts of him still extant.
Visconti,(1) in his account of the Museo Pio Clementino, speaks
of several statues of this Emperor, and states that the finest with
which he was acquainted are in the Farnese, Neapolitan, Borghese,
and Chigi collections. The Museum has, also, an excellent bust
of him, formerly in the Grimani Palace at Rome.
This bust represents the Emperor at a very advanced age.
Antoninus Pius Avas born at Lanuvium, on the 19th of Septem-
ber? a.d. 86, and from a very early period of his life gave indica-
tions of his future worth. In a.d. 120 he became Consul, and
was soon afterwards selected by Hadrian as one of the four Viri
1 Visconti, Mus. Pio Clem. vol. vi. t. 48.
ii