Marble Bust Of Commodus As Hercules

The lion s skin the club and the golden apples are all representative of the greek hero.

Marble bust of commodus as hercules. It is housed in the capitoline museums in rome italy. The capitoline museums rome. The effete likeness of emperor commodus stares vacantly his hair pompadoured with a lion skin over his head not messing up one curl musei capitolini in palazzo dei conservatori capitoline museums campidoglio area commodus. Commodus was inaugurated in 183 as consul with aufidius victorinus for a colleague and assumed the title pius.

The bust of commodus as hercules and the portrait head of caracalla are very elegant marble bust statues of two grand roman emperors. The bust is one of the most famous masterpieces of roman portraiture and depicts the emperor in the guise of hercules whose attributes he has been given. The bust of commodus as hercules is a beautifully designed bust. We can see this in each respected bust.

Originally discovered in 1874 in the underground chambers of horti lamiani it has become one of the most famous examples of roman portraiture to date. Commodus marcus aurelius commodus antoninus was born in 161. A bust of commodus kunsthistorisches museum vienna. Both emperors were will respected by their people of their era but seen in different ways.

With the death of marcus aurelius a long period of stability in the roman empire came to an end. Antonines the roman emperors antoninus pius reigned ad 138 161 and his adopted son and heir marcus aurelius reigned ad 161 180. The lion s skin over his head the club in this right hand and the golden apples of hesperides in his left hand as a reminder of the greek hero s feats. Bust of commodus as hercules 2nd century a d.

This bust is one of the most famous pieces of roman portraits and depicts the emperor commodus with characteristics of hercules. Portraits of antonine imperial persons of which a bronze equestrian figure of marcus aurelius on the capitol and a great marble bust of commodus as hercules in the palazzo dei conservatori are perhaps the most arresting examples display a treatment of hair and beard deeply undercut and drilled that grew ever more pictorial and baroque as the 2nd century advanced. This bust of commodus as hercules made in the hellenistic time period is one of the most famous pieces of roman art. According to herodian he was well proportioned and attractive with naturally blond and curly hair.

Commodus had many statues made representing him as this greek demigod and hero.