Antiquity was a very colourful place! The myth of all-white marble classical sculpture that remained uninterrupted for centuries has been put to rest thanks to modern science. Over the past thirty years or so, ground-breaking research in pigmentation has revealed new evidence for painted and ornamented surfaces on classical sculpture. Modern techniques such as X-ray… Continue reading Hadrian in colour, by Danila Loginov
https://villaludovisi.org/2019/11/15/new-an-unnoticed-portrait-of-hadrians-first-heir-l-aelius-caesar-in-romes-casino-aurora/ Did I make a great discovery in the Ludovisi collection of Roman antiquities? While in Rome at the beginning of November, Corey Brennan (Associate Professor of Classics at Rutgers University), who generously invited me to stay at the American Academy of Rome, brought me to the Casino of the Villa Ludovisi (also known as Villa… Continue reading NEW: An unnoticed portrait of Hadrian’s first heir, L. Aelius Caesar, in Rome’s Casino Aurora?
On the eastern tip of the Rodopou Peninsula in West Crete are the scanty remains of a temple dedicated to the Cretan goddess Diktynna (Diktynnaion). Diktynna was the virgin goddess of hunting and was worshipped fervently in western Crete as the patroness of hunters and fishermen. --- Diktynna's name may be connected with Mount Dikte,… Continue reading The Hadrianic Temple of Diktynna in Crete
Art has always been an important part of human existence. Over time, individuals have taken great pleasure from beautiful things and sought to acquire lavish personal collections. The first known cases of individuals seeking to accumulate art collections were in Hellenistic Greece more than 2,000 years ago. The Attalids are usually considered the first art… Continue reading A head of Hadrian from a private art collection on show at Musée du Quai Branly in Paris
An international team, including members of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Palazzo Altemps Museum in Rome and the University of Chicago, used new technologies to make an incredible discovery about two portraits of Antinous. The years of research that led to this discovery were the focus of an exhibition titled "A Portrait of Antinous,… Continue reading Exhibition: ‘A Portrait of Antinous, in Two Parts’ in Rome
The Arch of Constantine, dedicated on 25 July AD 315, stands in Rome between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill at what was once the beginning of the Via Triumphalis. Its attic inscription commemorates Constantine's victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge on 28 October AD 312 over the tyrant Maxentius who had ruled… Continue reading The Hadrianic Tondi on the Arch of Constantine
This month's sculptures from Hadrian's Villa are portraits of Roman emperors and empresses who rose to power after Hadrian. After the death of Hadrian in 138 AD, the Villa was occasionally used by his various successors. Busts of the emperors Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, Septimius Severus and Caracalla have been found on the… Continue reading Art and sculptures from Hadrian’s Villa: Imperial portraits of Hadrian’s successors
The Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. In addition to Renaissance masterpieces including works from Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, the Uffizi houses one of the world’s most important collections of ancient Roman and Greek statues. The Medicis' interest in ancient art started… Continue reading The Nerva-Antonines in Florence
The recent developments in the Middle East have drawn the attention of the world to the magnificent ruins of the ancient city of Palmyra. Its impressive remains were brought to light by travellers, first in 1678, and by archaeologists in more recent times. Equally impressive are the numerous representations of the inhabitants of the city… Continue reading The ancient people of Palmyra, Syria
This month's sculpture from Hadrian's Villa is a marble head of Antinous depicted as the god Dionysos, the closest Greek equivalent to the Egyptian god Osiris. It was unearthed in 1769 during excavations undertaken by the art dealer and archaeologist Gavin Hamilton who secured it for Lord Lansdowne. The latter was an avid collector of… Continue reading Art and sculptures from Hadrian’s Villa: The Lansdowne Antinous
