Portraits of Hadrian

In search of the 150 surviving portraits of Hadrian… 103 portraits have been gathered so far.

Hadrian was a pleasant man to meet and he possessed a certain charm. Dio Cassius, 69, 2.6

Marble head of Hadrian on a modern bust (type: Variant of Stazione Termini), from Rome?, Palazzo Altemps, Rome
Fragmented head of Hadrian in alabaster on a modern bust (type: Imperatori 32), sculpture head: Hadrianic period; bust 18th century, the head has been restored with marble, Musei Capitolini, Rome
Bust of Hadrian wearing a wreath of oak leaves with, AD 130-138, Athens Archaeological Museum
Marble head of Hadrian, from Italy, 128 AD, type: Imperatori 32, Museo Civico, Fossombrone, Italy
Marble portrait bust of Emperor Hadrian, c.118-120, found in Hadrian’s villa at Tibur (modern Tivoli) near Rome, type Chiaramonti 392, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
uirassed bust of Hadrian (type: Baiae), from Italy, Palazzo Colonna, Rome
Nude bust of Hadrian with paladamentum (type: Chiaramonti 392), from Italy (perhaps from Bovillae), Palazzo Colonna, Rome
Marble bust of Hadrian found in 2014 near Yecla (Spain).
Marble bust of Hadrian found in 2014 near Yecla (Spain).
Marble head of Hadrian from Mérida (Spain).
Marble head of Hadrian from Mérida (Spain).
Cuirassed bust of Hadrian found in Nevers (Noviodunum), France. Type: Baies
Marble portrait of Hadrian, before 130 AD, Mausoleum of Hadrian, Rome
Cuirassed statue of Hadrian wearing the Corona Civica. From Perga, Antalya Museum.
Statue of Hadrian wearing the Corona Civica (Civic Crown), from the North Nymphaeum at Perga, Antalya Museum
Cuirassed statue of Hadrian, from Perga, around 121 AD, Antalya Museum
Statue of Hadrian, Ancient Agora of Athens
Marble torso of Emperor Hadrian in military dress, from Cyrene, ca. 130-138, British Museum
Cuirassed paludamentum bust of Hadrian, from Baiae (Italy), ca. 127 AD, now in Blenheim Palace UK
Marble bust of the emperor Hadrian wearing military dress, from Hadrian’s Villa, AD 117-118, British Museum
Hadrian, from Rome, 125-138 AD, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen
Marble bust of Hadrian with paludamentum (type: Rollockenfrisur), from Italy, Neues Museum, Berlin
Statue of Hadrian in armour (what remains of it), from the Odeon of Corinth, partly reconstructed, Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth
Fragment of a colossal statue of Hadrian wearing a cuirass with a barbarian kneeling at his feet, from the temple area, Hierapolis Archaeology Museum, Turkey
Fragmentary bust of Hadrian, from the area of Santa Bibiana at Termini station, ca. 117-120, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome
Marble head of Hadrian, Romisch-Germanisches Museum, Cologne
Head of Hadrian, Glyptothek, Munich
The head of the colossal marble statue of Hadrian found at the Sagalassos Roman Baths complex in 2007, Burdur Museum
Bust portrait of Emperor Hadrian, the bust portrays Hadrian as an elderly man, around AD 130, from the Horti Tauriani, Musei Capitolini, Rome
Head of Hadrian on a modern bust, from Hadrian’s Mausoleum, National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome
Marble bust of Hadrian, from Hadrian’s Mausoleum. (National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome)
Marble head of Hadrian on a bust in alabaster from the Antonine period (type: Rollockenfrisur), Musei Capitolini, Rome
Bust of Hadrian, 130 AD, National Archaeological Museum of Spain, Madrid
Marble portrait bust of the emperor Hadrian, found in the temple of the Olympieion, Athens ca. AD 130, National Archaeological Museum of Athens
Head of Hadrian wearing a wrealth of laurel leaves, discovered in 1988 to the South of the Roman Agora, between AD 128/129 or 131/132, Library of Hadrian, Athens
Colossal head of Hadrian (Chiaramonti 392 type), from excavations in Ostia, Museo Pio Clementino, Sala a Croce Greca, Vatican Museums
Over-life-sized head of Hadrian, dated to about AD 130, of the Rollockenfrisur type, from Egypt, said to have been found at Athribis (Benha) near the head of the Nile Delta, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston https://collections.mfa.org/objects/151352/head-of-hadrian
Bust of Hadrian, from 117 until 138 AD, Palazzo dei Conservatori, Capitoline Museums
Bust of Hadrian, 2nd century, from Rome, Capitoline Museums
Bust of Hadrian (Chiaramonti 392 type), from Hadrian’s Mausoleum, possibly created following the emperor’s death in 138 AD, Vatican Museums
Marble head with laurel wreath – Mixed portraiture type: Baiae & Imperatori 32 (currently in storage at the Louvre, Paris)
Over-lifesize cuirassed statue of Hadrian, found in the Hadrianic Odeon of Ilium (Troy), Troy Museum Turkey
Partially restored statue of Hadrian, from the Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus at Olympia, Olympia Archaeological Museum, Greece
Bronze head of Hadrian, from Egypt, Musée du Louvre
Bronze head from a statue of the Emperor Hadrian, Romain Britain, British Museum
Statue of the Emperor Hadrian (117 – 138 AD), depicted as a terrible conqueror tramping over a defeated enemy, found in Crete, Istanbul Archaeology Museum
Fragmented statue of a cuirassed Roman emperor (possibly Hadrian) with a kneeling barbarian, found at Miletus in front of the Market Gate, early 2nd century AD (reign of Hadrian / 120-130 AD), Pergamon Museum Berlin
Colossal heroic statue of Hadrian, from Italica, Paros marble, Museum of Archaeology, Seville
Bust of Hadrian from Heraklion (Crete), dated AD 127-128, Musée du Louvre
Head of Hadrian from Tarragone, Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
Statue of Hadrian as Mars, god of Mar, from Rome, AD 117–125, Capitoline Museums
Statue of Emperor Hadrian, found alongside that of his wife Sabina in the Roman theatre, Vaison-la-Romaine
Hadrian bust wearing the cuirass, AD 130, Naples National Archaeological Museum
Hadrian wearing the chlamys, between 132 & 138 AD, Naples National Archaeological Museum
Upper part of a larger than life statue of Hadrian found in the harbour of Piraeus, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Greece.
Presumed head of Hadrian, Musée de l’Arles antique
Bust of Hadrian, Musei Capitolini, Rome
Bust of Emperor Hadrian, 120 – 130 AD, Altes Museum
Bust of Hadrian (Chiaramonti 392 type), from Villa Adriana (Tivoli), Vatican Museums
Head of Hadrian, from Italy, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen
Bust of Hadrian (?), 134 AD, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
Bust of Hadrian, 134 AD, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
Porphyry statue of Hadrian, Caesarea
Bronze statue of Hadrian, found at the Camp of the Sixth Roman Legion in Tel Shalem. Hadrian: An Emperor Cast in Bronze, Israel Museum.
Cuirassed statue of Hadrian, Type: Imperatori 32, from Italy, Hampton Court Palace, London
Statue velato capite of Hadrian (maybe) as pontifex maximus.
Bust of Hadrian, 117-121 AD, Type: Termini, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Colossal head of Hadrian on modern bust, from Crete?, ca. 138 AD, Venice Museo Archeologico
Colossal portrait of Hadrian, Luni Marble, 140 AD (posthumous), Galleria Borghese, Rome
Cuirassed bust of Hadrian with paludamentum (recut in modern times), of the so-called Imperiatori 32 type, from Italy, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Austria
Small marble head of Hadrian, found in the Sanctuary of Apollo in Klaros, Izmir Museum of History and Art, Turkey
Portrait from an acrolith-statue of the Roman emperor Hadrian, from the Trajaneum in Pergamon, early 2nd century AD, Pergamon Museum
Hadrian, Thasian Marble, from the lime kiln of the Caseggiato di Serapide, 2nd century AD, Ostia Antica, Italy
Bust of Hadrian, Type: Busti 283, from Italy, World Museum, Liverpool
Headless statue of Hadrian wearing a cuirass with a kneeling hostage, Archaeological Museum, Thessaloniki, Greece
Imperial group as Mars and Venus; the male figure is a portrait of Hadrian, the female figure was reworked into a portrait of Annia Lucilla (?). Marble, Roman artwork, ca. 120–140 AD, reworked ca. 170–175 AD, Louvre Museum
Torso of a colossal statue of Hdrian wearing a breastplate, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Greece.
Torso of a colossal statue of Hdrian wearing a breastplate, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Greece.
Fragmented head of Hadrian, Archaeological Museum of Epidaurus
Fragmented head of Hadrian, Archaeological Museum of Epidaurus
Head of Hadrian, of the so-called Chiaramonti 392 type, from Ephesus, found among the ruins of the The Gate of Mazeus and Mithridates, Ephesos Museum Vienna, Austria
Head of Hadrian, from the so-called Chiaramonti 392 type, from Italy, Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum, Austria
Top part of the head of a cuirassed statue of Hadrian found in the Roman theatre of Ancyra (Ankara), Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara
Fragments of a cuirassed statue of Hadrian.
Headless statue of Hadrian. He is shown as a triumphant army commander with a cuiras. Found in Gortyna, Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
Headless statue of Hadrian. He is shown as a triumphant army commander with a cuirass. Found in Knossos Villa of Dionysos, peristyle house of the Roman period. Now in the gardens of Villa Ariadne, Knossos.
Headless statue of Hadrian wearing the military cuirass, found in Kissamos (Cisamus) in the vicinity of the Roman theatre, Kissamos Archaeological Museum
Marble head of Hadrian (type Imperatori 32), traces of colour are preserved at the iris of the eyes, Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Head of a cuirassed statue of Hadrian. Found at the Sancturary of Diktynna (Diktynnaion) in 1913, Chania Archaeological Museum, Crete.
Head of Hadrian, found at the Sancturary of Diktynna (Diktynnaion) in 1913, Chania Archaeological Museum, Crete
Thorax of a posthumous cuirassed statue of Hadrian, from an Antonine reconstruction of the theatre’s scaena frons of Philadelphia, Amman
Hadrian, New Wing (Braccio Nuovo), Chiaramonti Museum, Vatican Museums
Bust of Hadrian from Castiglione della Pescaia (Serrata Martini), Museo Archeologico e d’Arte della Maremma, Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy
Marble head of Hadrian
Rome, AD 128-138
Provenance: Charles Ede Ltd, bought in 1971 from the Maison Evangelisti / Ancient collection Bouzid-Guiga, Paris / Phoenix Ancient Art S.A, Geneva
Head of Hadrian, Palazzo Trinci, Foligno, Italy
Head of Hadrian (?) as a young man sculpted toward the end of his reign, found at Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli.
Cuirassed statue of Hadrian, from Tyre, National Museum of Beirut, Lebanon.
Head of Hadrian with corona civica, from the south area of Beirut, American University of Beirut Museum, Lebanon
Head of Hadrian, Arco Santo, Capalbio, Italy.
Bust Hadrian, Alexandria National Museum, Egypt
Bust of Hadrian wearing a tunic and muscle cuirass decorated in the centre with a winged Gorgon’s head and bearded figures on the shoulder traps. From the so-called “Imperatori 32” portrait type, sculpted after AD 128. Formerly in Villa Albani.
Portrait head of Hadrian from Gabii (Italy), Louvre
Fragmentary portrait head of Hadrian, from the Agora of Athens, AD 130-140, National Archaeological Museum of Athens
Portrait of Hadrian, ca. AD 130, Marble from Thasos, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, USA
Torso of a statue of Hadrian with laurel wreath, cloak on left shoulder (type: Imperatori 32), from Thysdrus (El Djem), Africa Proconsularis, Sousse Archaeological Museum, Tunisia
Cuirassed statue of Hadrian (of the eastern Hadrianic breastplate type), it stood in the Agora of Amastris, of Amasra Museum, Turkey

Miscellaneous…

Silver dish decorated with a bust of Hadrian in high relief, around AD 130. Private Collection.
Relief from the Arch of Portugal (Arco di Portogallo): Hadrian’s donation of food to Roman children, Palazzo Nuovo, Capitoline Museums
Relief from the Arc of Portugal (Arco di Portogallo) representing the apotheosis of Sabina (wife of Hadrian), 136-138 AD, Palazzo Nuovo, Capitoline Museums
Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius, small Lucius Verus and Hadrian, a scene of a cycle “Adoption” of the Parthian frieze from Ephesus, the Parthian Monument reliefs, post 169 AD, Ephesos Museum Vienna, Austria
Aventus Augusti relief; Roma and the personification of the senate and the people of Rome receive Hadrian into the city (the head & hands of Hadrian and the hands of Roma are restored), once part of a triumphal monument to Hadrian, Musei Capitolini, Rome
Head of the Roman emperor Hadrian (type: Imperatori 32), a fragment of a large relief, dated AD 117-138, Sir John Soane’s Museum, London, UK http://collections.soane.org/object-m1033
Hadrian as ruler of the world: Sardonyx cameo depicting an allegorical triumph of Hadrian crowned by Roma in a chariot pulled by eagles, originally made for Claudius around 50 AD and the head later reworked into a portrait of Hadrian in 117-118 AD, Altes Museum
Sardonyx cameo of Hadrian, 2nd century AD, decorative mount of the late 16th century, Cabinet des Médailles, Paris
Terracotta figure of an emperor in military dress subduing an armed warrior, probably Hadrian, 118-135 AD, British Museum
Bust of Hadrian from the Al Thani Collection. The head, made of chalcedony, dates to the reign of the emperor, though the beard was recarved at the court of Frederick II in the middle of the 13th century. The bust dates to the second half of the 16th century and the socle c. 1850.
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Map of the current locations of the surviving portraits of Hadrian based on “Les portraits d’Hadrien: typologie et ateliers” Cécile Evers & German Archaeological Institute (DAI) http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/

23 thoughts on “Portraits of Hadrian”

  1. Dear Carole, the location of San Fruttuoso, near Genova, Italy, is incorrect: the Marble head inside the wall belongs to Antoninus Pius not Hadrian. Perhaps you may find most portraits of the Emperor around Genova, over the monumental portals of aristochratic mansions and in the Museum of S.Agostino.

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  4. Hey Carol, do you know which one of these is the earliest? I can see a lot of difference in age and weight in how Hadrian is portrayed.

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  6. Well done!! BRAVO! Do you know how the roman artists worked? Many of them had of course never seen the emperor himself? The camera wasn`t invented, neither printing tecniques for spreading pictures of the face. Did they have plaster copies of a famaous sculpture to copy??

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    1. Could you please tell me which ones are not Hadrian and which one is his father? The only doubt I have is about the portrait of Hadrian from Apollonia. I have never heard of a surviving portrait of Publius Aelius Hadrianus Afer. Is it one from from Hadrian’s Mausoleum?

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  8. In my collection I have a bronze head of Hadrian from the 16th century. It derives from the plaster preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Padua…

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  9. I love your marvellous blog and photographs and share your interest with the great and fascinating Hadrian.

    By far the best portrait I have seen is the appropriately larger than life bronze in the Istanbul Archeological museum. Its a work of the highest quality imaginable, really marvellous, with the patterned and textured material of which the toga is made marvellously captured. Standing, as you must, just below it is I fancy rather like being in the divine presence of the terrifying man himself.

    No photo does it justice and its a great museum so just go

    https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g293974-d294552-i48605943-Istanbul_Archaeological_Museums-Istanbul.html

    Many thanks

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    1. Hi Richard, thank you for your comment. I have seen and photographed this statue but it may have been misidentified as Hadrian. Indeed, scholars specialised in Hadrian’s portraiture think that it is not representing Hadrian. It was the custom for high ranking officials to be portrayed with the same features of the Emperor.

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      1. Yes I actually noticed this after I had located that very poor image and sent my message to you. I jad thought it it very unlikely that you hadnt seen the statue, and was altogether rather embarassed that an ancient wealthy vulgarian had fooled me. Perhaps it was the Merchant who is recorded as having loaned the imperial retinue his deluxe shipping for one of Hadrians Anatolian journeys.

        Having said that I would be very interested to see the analysis that leads to the conclusion that it might be another official. I wasnt aware of the practice, are there prominent examples? In general I would have thought it quite a hazardous course to follow, as I have always understood that, as with the Tudors, control of the image was carefully policed; and the facial similarity to Hadrian is so strong as to make it rather a curious means of boosting ones dignitas.

        Questions of attribution in art history are notoriously fraught with academic feuding and controversy. Theres a very amusing article about the modern process of attribution by Brian Sewell somewhere.

        Regards

  10. Dear Carole,

    This is a most delightful project! Many thanks for doing and sharing this. I’m an aerospace engineer, but I dabble in things a bit related, and as part of that, I photograph busts of Roman emperors. I have three of Hadrian that are not in your collection and I’m happy to freely share if you’d like them.

    Also, I’ll add a little teaser, there’s a location of a Hadrian bust that is not on your map… 🙂

    Thanks again. This is just wonderful.
    Joe

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    1. Dear Joseph,
      Thank you for your kind words. I would love to see your photographs of Hadrian’s portraits and I am really intrigued about the location of a Hadrian bust that is not on my map.
      Carole

      Reply

    1. Yes, indeed! Although there is no proof that Hadrian visited Crete, the island has yielded many busts and cuirassed statues of him! 2 portraits are now in the Louvre (Paris and Abu Dhabi), 2 in the Heraklion Museum, 1 in Knossos, 2 in the Chania Museum, 1 in the Kissamos Museum, 1 in the Istanbul Museum, 1 in Venice.

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      1. It is highly unlikely that he did not visit Crete even if the physical evidence is not there. The statues of him from the Diktynna sanctuary (in the Chania museum) suggest that he must have visited the sanctuary at some point (he did love ancient deities) and the port on Gortyn would have probably been a stop during his trip from Egypt to Greece in AD 130. There are simply too many lacunae in our records and I hope some of them will be filled. Great job with the site. And greetings from Crete, by the way! 🙂

      2. I also strongly believe that Hadrian did visit Crete. Did you see my article about the temple of Diktynna?

  13. Wasn’t Hadrian a handsome man? <3

    I think the sardonyx gem and the one of him as Diomedes are close likenesses but they probably do not depict him. On stylistic grounds, they don't seem to date to the second century AD. Also, there are some great portraits of him in American collections that are not included here and which I can send you a few photos of later.

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  14. Hello! I also love taking pictures of Hadrian, and would love to add a couple to the list – there is a great bust at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and there’s a more modern interpretation (like from the 18th century) at the Archaeological Museum in Venice. I’d be happy to send pictures if you’d like!

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  15. Hi Carole,

    I sent you an email to “Marge”. I hope I sent it to the correct place. Again I will say,WOW! What a fun project you have going. It will be a wonderful reference guide for me and my son when we go “Hadrian hunting”!! Did you ever get to see the life-size statue of Hadrian at the Iberia Bank in New Iberia, Louisiana? It sold in 2008 for $902,500 plus premium. I never heard where it ended up. Please let us know where its new home is if you have this info. All the best, T. Hadrian

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