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Roman

Portrait of a Julio-Claudian Prince (probably Drusus Minor), 0-39 CE

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Roman

Title

Portrait of a Julio-Claudian Prince (probably Drusus Minor)

Year

0-39 CE

Medium

Marble

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • marble

Dimensions

36.2 x 22.4 x 24.1 cm (14 1/4 x 8 13/16 x 9 1/2 inches)

Type

  • Sculpture

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke

Object Number

22.211

Projects & Publications

Publications

Manual / Issue 5

Unfinished
Read Online

Rethinking the Romans

New Views of Ancient Sculpture

Classical Sculpture

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Rethinking the Romans

April 6, 2001 - January 2, 2009

In order to reinforce their leading position in Roman society, members of the imperial family often had themselves portrayed as looking very much like Augustus (reigned 27 BC – AD 14). In fact, most of Julio-Claudian men were portrayed as looking so much alike that scholars have had difficulty identifying them with certainty. While the profile of the RISD portrait recalls Drusus the Younger (died AD 23, son of the emperor Tiberius), the hairstyle suggests the young Germanicus (15 BC – AD 19, nephew of Tiberius).

The treatment of the base of the neck indicates that the head was meant for insertion into a stock bust or body, a common practice for portraits in Roman times. The ridge above the bottom row of locks on the back of the head perhaps was an indentation to support a wreath. The top of the head is summarily carved, and drill marks around the ears appear rough, lending credence to the proposed presence of a wreath, which would have hidden these unfinished effects.

Weiss Ancient Art Gallery

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Portrait of a Julio-Claudian Prince (probably Drusus Minor) with the accession number of 22.211. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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