The bust of Antinous ( el, Προτομή του Αντίνοου) in the
National Archaeological Museum, Athens in
Greece is an ancient Roman sculptural portrait of the young
Antinous
Antinous, also called Antinoös, (; grc-gre, Ἀντίνοος; 27 November – before 30 October 130) was a Greek youth from Bithynia and a favourite and probable lover of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Following his premature death before his ...
, the favorite and beloved of the Roman emperor
Hadrian
Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
. It was discovered in the city of
Patras
)
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in the nineteenth century.
Description
This bust of Antinous, categorized as item inv. no. 417, was excavated in
Patras
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in 1856, a few decades after Greece's independence in 1930.
It was found alongside a second, almost identical, bust of Antinous which is also kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens (inv. no. 418).
Both busts show typical features of Antinous's iconography, such as full lips, luscious curls, a broad chest, a straight nose, thick eyebrows and a melancholic expression, and were produced around 130–138 AD from the same workshop, not long after Antinous's death in 130 AD.
The second bust however is more damaged than the other, with clear damage in its nose, cheek and chin.
The first, undamaged bust is exhibited in room 31a of the museum, while the second is usually kept in storage, though it was displayed for some time during the ''Hadrian and Antinous: an encounter, 19 centuries later'' exhibition in 2018.
It is 67cm in height, and made of marble from the Aegean island of
Thasos.
Gallery
File:Exhibition "Hadrian and Antinous an encounter, 19 centuries later", National Archaeological Museum of Athens (42836815081).jpg, The second, damaged bust in exhibition.
File:1641 - Archaeological Museum, Athens - Antinous - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto, Nov 11 2009.jpg, The bust from right side.
File:1647 - Archaeological Museum, Athens - Antinous - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto, Nov 11 2009.jpg, Eyes and hair.
File:Bust_of_Antinous_(3)._2nd_cent._A.D.jpg, Frontal.
See also
*
Varvakeion Athena
The Varvakeion Athena is a Roman-era statue of Athena Parthenos now part of the collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. It is generally considered to be the most faithful reproduction of the chryselephantine statue made by Phid ...
*
Mask of Agamemnon
*
Statue of Antinous (Delphi)
References
External links
*
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Archaeological discoveries in the Peloponnese
Sculptures of Antinous
National Archaeological Museum, Athens
Marble sculptures in Greece
1856 archaeological discoveries
Works of uncertain authorship
Sculptures of men in Greece
2nd-century Roman sculptures
Sculptures in Athens
Busts in Greece