Marble head of Emperor Marcus Aurelius
Γ574
Stone (Fine white marble)
Only the head and neck are preserved. Much scattered minor chipping.
Preserved Height: 45 cm. Height of head: 36.5 cm. Width: 35 cm. Thickness: 30 cm.
Gortyn
South of the old guardhouse
Roman period:
161-180 AD:
Gallery:
XXVIICase:
Not in caseExhibition thematic unit:
Sculpture. Hellenistic period (3rd-2nd c. BC) Roman period (1st c. BC-3rd c. AD)The art of portraiture
Description
Portrait head of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD) from a larger-than-life-size statue, probably standing and wearing a cuirass. The head is crowned with a laurel wreath adorned with a medallion at front and centre. It is inclined slightly to the left, and its pensive gaze condenses the characteristics of both ruler and philosopher in the features of Marcus Aurelius. The rougher working of the rear side indicates that the statue was originally placed in a niche or in front of and close to some other architectural element.Bibliography:
Α. Lebessi, "Αρχαιότητες και μνημεία κεντρικής και ανατολικής Κρήτης", Αρχαιολογικό Δελτίο 32, Β2 (1977), 316, pl. 189α. M. Wegner – R. Unger, "Verzeichnis der Kaiserbildnisse von Antoninus Pius bis Commodus I", Boreas 2, 1979, 148. R. Invernizzi, "Alcuni ritratti di età antoniniana dalla Grecia", Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene 57/58, 1979/1980, 355-360, n. 65, fig. 9-10. F. C. Albertson, The Sculptured Portraits of Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161-180): Creation and Dissemination of Portrait Types, Bryn Mawr 1980, 299 n. 160(7). A. Stavridis, "Portrait de Marc-Aurèle de Gortyne au Musée d’Héracleion", Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Römische Abteilung 87, 1980, 347-348, pl. 126. Α. Datsouli-Stavridi Α., "Τα ρωμαϊκά πορτραίτα του Μουσείου Ηρακλείου", Πεπραγμένα του Δ΄ Διεθνούς Κρητολογικού Συνεδρίου, Α2, Agios Nikolaos 1981, 592, pl. 197. A. Stavridis, "Römische Porträts im Archäologischen Museum von Chania", Boreas 8, 1985, 105. K. Fittschen – P. Zanker, Katalog der römischen Porträts in der Capitolinischen Museen und den anderen kommunalen Sammlungen der Stadt Rom I, Mainz am Rhein 1985, 73 n. 9 (f) στον no. 67 (Fittschen). H. W. Catling, "Archaeology in Greece, 1985-86", Archaeological Reports. London 1985-1986, 89 fig. 134. F. C. Albertson, "A portrait of Marcus Aurelius from SyroPalestine", Damaszener Mitteilungen 3, 1988, 3. M. Bonanno-Aravantinos, "Due ritratti di età antoniniana nel museo archeologico di Tebe", in: J. Bouzek – I. Ondřejova (eds), Roman Portraits Artistic and Literary. Acts of the Third International Conference on Roman Portraits, Prague 25-29 September 1989, Mainz 1997, 58. C. Saletti, "Un problema di ritrattistica severiana: l’immagine di Plautilla", Rivista di Archeologia 21, 1997, 104 n. 54(b). I. Romeo – E. C. Portale, Gortina III. Le sculture, Padova 1998, 364 no. 17, pl. 49. M. Lagogianni-Georgakarakos, Die römischen Porträts Kretas. Bezirk Heraklion, CSIR Griechenland 6, 1, Athen 2002, 54 no. 10, pl. 11. R. Milčeva, "Bildnis des Marc Aurel", in: Stephanos Archaeologicos in honorem Professoris Ludmili Getov, Studia Archaeologica Universitatis Serdicensis Suppl. 4, 2005, 53 n. 10. E. Chioti, Αυτοκρατορικά και ιδιωτικά πορτρέτα της εποχής των Αντωνίνων στην Ελλάδα, Thessaloniki 2012, 242-3, no. 14, pl. 13.Author:
K. S.Photographs' metadata