Taylor Bonham
VSAR 121
Tatiana Sizonenko
2/16/19
Antinous Mondragone
Circa. AD 130
Marble
Height: 95cm
Provenance: Italy
Department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities
This is a very good example of a Roman portrait because it is "strikingly realistic in the sense of evoking the presence of an astonishingly concrete and specific individuality"(Nodelman) and portrays the human body and face as what they perceive to be ideal or perfect in a godlike form Like most portraits and statues of this time, the building material is made of a smooth ivory marble. There is youthfulness in this statue's portrait due to the obvious lack of wrinkle or signs of aging that would be apparent if the model was an older man. Roman art was not made to be beautiful or perfect though, it was made to impress people, citizens or new travelers from far away cities. This young man is not showing much expression in his face but in Roman culture looking serious displayed power and nobility.
Citation
Louvre Museum Official Website, cartelen.louvre.fr/cartelen/visite? srv=car_not_frame&idNotice=27470&langue=en.
https://mymission.lamission.edu/userdata/follantf/docs/Nodelman.pdf