This beautifully rendered marble carving of the young Marcus
Aurelius was made during or after the Enlightenment, in the
spirit of the antique originals of ancient Rome. These pieces
were found during the Great Tours of the 18th and early 19th
centuries, and inspired sculptors just as antique architecture
was echoed in public buildings of the period. The base is a
plain turned pedestal, with a sectional block of the torso
slightly narrower than the shoulders. The face looks slightly to
its right, wearing a pensive expression. The idealised features
are serene and sensitive, the carelessly tousled hair picked out
in exquisite detail. The historical Marcus Aurelius achieved a
divine status for being one of the Five Good Emperors, a
dignified and intellectual man and a strong leader. In youth he
was favoured by Hadrian, who saw in him something of his future
potential as well as his obvious beauty that can be seen here.
Marcus Aurelius was among the most important, most intellectual,
and least despotic of the Ro