Equestrian Marcus Aurelius
Title
Equestrian Marcus Aurelius
Date
173- 176 AD, Antonine Dynasty
Artist or Workshop
Unknown
Materials
Gilded Bronze
Height of the work
424 cm tall
Provenience
Unknown
Current Location
Campidoglio Piazza, Rome
Description and Significance
Description:
This over life-sized gilded bronze portrait shows the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, riding mounted on top of a horse with an outstretched right arm. His palm is gently opened and faced downward, signaling a notion of peace. He is dressed in his traditional military garb; however, he is wearing closed-toed shoes rather than typical military sandals. He is wearing a paludamentum (a military cloak) and is wearing a tunic rather than a traditional cuirass. He has a curly head of hair, along with a moderately thick beard. His facial expression is relaxed as he gazes off into the distance. His facial structure appears slightly idealized and he has no signs of strong wrinkles. There are subtle suggestions of lines under his eyes, and along his cheeks, causing him to appear approximately 30-40 years old. His eyes are wide and shaped like tear drops, while his nose is narrow and pointed downward. The horse’s head is pointed in the same the direction Marcus Aurelius’ head. Its front right leg is raised in the air, while with the other legs are planted in the ground in order to suggest either forward movement, or the act of stepping over something.
Significance:
This portrait is a clear display of the way Marcus Aurelius wanted to be presented to the public. The military clothing that he is wearing emphasizes his expertise as a leader on the battle field, while his close-toed shoes allow him to maintain his patrician (elite) status. One of the most prominent characteristics of this portrait is his outstretched hand. This peaceful, calming gesture is very symbolic of Marcus Aurelius’ merciful character. Rather than being a head strong leader like former emperors, Marcus Aurelius had a much calmer demeanor and learned to be a philosopher on how to lead a good life. The horse’s posture has a very expressive meaning within the overall composition as well. The detailed renderings of the muscles and size of the horse display how much power Marcus Aurelius has under his control. Some researchers believe that there was once an additional sculpture of a defeated barbarian included underneath of the horse’s raised foot. Such an inclusion would mean that Marcus Aurelius’ calming gesture would actually be an act of granting mercy and sparing the life of the weakened barbarian. This belief would be historically accurate according to the descriptions of Marcus Aurelius’ character, however it is rare to find out for certain due to the unknown source sight of this sculpture. It is incredibly rare to find a bronze portrait still intact because the material itself was valuable and could be recycled. The only reason that this statue survived was because it was mistaken for a statue of the Christian emperor Constantine, rather than the pagan emperor Marcus Aurelius, and was deliberately preserved by Rome's Christian population.
This over life-sized gilded bronze portrait shows the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, riding mounted on top of a horse with an outstretched right arm. His palm is gently opened and faced downward, signaling a notion of peace. He is dressed in his traditional military garb; however, he is wearing closed-toed shoes rather than typical military sandals. He is wearing a paludamentum (a military cloak) and is wearing a tunic rather than a traditional cuirass. He has a curly head of hair, along with a moderately thick beard. His facial expression is relaxed as he gazes off into the distance. His facial structure appears slightly idealized and he has no signs of strong wrinkles. There are subtle suggestions of lines under his eyes, and along his cheeks, causing him to appear approximately 30-40 years old. His eyes are wide and shaped like tear drops, while his nose is narrow and pointed downward. The horse’s head is pointed in the same the direction Marcus Aurelius’ head. Its front right leg is raised in the air, while with the other legs are planted in the ground in order to suggest either forward movement, or the act of stepping over something.
Significance:
This portrait is a clear display of the way Marcus Aurelius wanted to be presented to the public. The military clothing that he is wearing emphasizes his expertise as a leader on the battle field, while his close-toed shoes allow him to maintain his patrician (elite) status. One of the most prominent characteristics of this portrait is his outstretched hand. This peaceful, calming gesture is very symbolic of Marcus Aurelius’ merciful character. Rather than being a head strong leader like former emperors, Marcus Aurelius had a much calmer demeanor and learned to be a philosopher on how to lead a good life. The horse’s posture has a very expressive meaning within the overall composition as well. The detailed renderings of the muscles and size of the horse display how much power Marcus Aurelius has under his control. Some researchers believe that there was once an additional sculpture of a defeated barbarian included underneath of the horse’s raised foot. Such an inclusion would mean that Marcus Aurelius’ calming gesture would actually be an act of granting mercy and sparing the life of the weakened barbarian. This belief would be historically accurate according to the descriptions of Marcus Aurelius’ character, however it is rare to find out for certain due to the unknown source sight of this sculpture. It is incredibly rare to find a bronze portrait still intact because the material itself was valuable and could be recycled. The only reason that this statue survived was because it was mistaken for a statue of the Christian emperor Constantine, rather than the pagan emperor Marcus Aurelius, and was deliberately preserved by Rome's Christian population.
References
American Historical Association Website:
https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning/teaching-resources-for-historians/teaching-and-learning-in-the-digital-age/images-of-power-art-as-an-historiographic-tool/equestrian-statue-of-marcus-aurelius
Khan Academy Website:
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/roman/middle-empire/a/equestrian-sculpture-of-marcus-aurelius
Capitoline Museum Website:
http://en.museicapitolini.org/collezioni/percorsi_per_sale/museo_del_palazzo_dei_conservatori/esedra_di_marco_aurelio/statua_equestre_di_marco_aurelio
https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning/teaching-resources-for-historians/teaching-and-learning-in-the-digital-age/images-of-power-art-as-an-historiographic-tool/equestrian-statue-of-marcus-aurelius
Khan Academy Website:
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/roman/middle-empire/a/equestrian-sculpture-of-marcus-aurelius
Capitoline Museum Website:
http://en.museicapitolini.org/collezioni/percorsi_per_sale/museo_del_palazzo_dei_conservatori/esedra_di_marco_aurelio/statua_equestre_di_marco_aurelio
Contributor
Gentry Pack
Citation
Unknown, “Equestrian Marcus Aurelius,” Digital Portrait "Basket" - ARTH488A "Ancient Mediterranean Portraiture", accessed April 17, 2024, http://classicalchopped.artinterp.org/omeka/items/show/46.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.