DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14144#0695
ANTINOUS.
659
CHAPTER LV.
PORTRAIT SCULPTURE
(Continued).
Axtixous.
The story of Antinous throws a strange and lurid light on the im-
becility and corruption of the Roman world, which not only awarded
divine honours to its Emperors after death, but received a god at the
hands of a living Emperor in the person of an obscure Bithynian
youth.
Among the plastic representations of the second century of our
era, the only one which possesses any real novelty or originality is
that of this favourite of Hadrian. In this well-known figure we have a
new type which has no antecedents in earlier art, and does not seem to
have been further developed at a later period. But though it thus
stands alone, it can hardly be said to be the new ideal creation of the
unknown artist —it is simply the more or less idealised portrait of a
real individual
Little is known of the short career of Antinous beyond the ex-
travagant affection shown him by the Emperor Hadrian. He was
born of unknown parents in Bithynium1 (or Claudiopolis) in Bithynia,
and was brought very early in life—probably on account of his re-
markable beauty—to the imperial court at Rome. He immediately
attracted the attention of the Emperor, whose inseparable companion
he became, and with whom he travelled through the eastern portion
of the Roman Empire. Among other countries they visited Egypt,
which possessed strong attractions to a lover of antiquity and mystery
1 There is a coin of Bilhynium, where 8F.ON. On the reverse are a herdsman and
Hadrian was born, bearinp the head of An- a bull.—Kckhel, vi. 528.
linouswith the legend h nATJ'11 a NT! NOON
659
CHAPTER LV.
PORTRAIT SCULPTURE
(Continued).
Axtixous.
The story of Antinous throws a strange and lurid light on the im-
becility and corruption of the Roman world, which not only awarded
divine honours to its Emperors after death, but received a god at the
hands of a living Emperor in the person of an obscure Bithynian
youth.
Among the plastic representations of the second century of our
era, the only one which possesses any real novelty or originality is
that of this favourite of Hadrian. In this well-known figure we have a
new type which has no antecedents in earlier art, and does not seem to
have been further developed at a later period. But though it thus
stands alone, it can hardly be said to be the new ideal creation of the
unknown artist —it is simply the more or less idealised portrait of a
real individual
Little is known of the short career of Antinous beyond the ex-
travagant affection shown him by the Emperor Hadrian. He was
born of unknown parents in Bithynium1 (or Claudiopolis) in Bithynia,
and was brought very early in life—probably on account of his re-
markable beauty—to the imperial court at Rome. He immediately
attracted the attention of the Emperor, whose inseparable companion
he became, and with whom he travelled through the eastern portion
of the Roman Empire. Among other countries they visited Egypt,
which possessed strong attractions to a lover of antiquity and mystery
1 There is a coin of Bilhynium, where 8F.ON. On the reverse are a herdsman and
Hadrian was born, bearinp the head of An- a bull.—Kckhel, vi. 528.
linouswith the legend h nATJ'11 a NT! NOON