What does the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius represent?
The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius depicts the famous Roman Emperor on horseback. The emperor is over life-size and extends his hand in a gesture used by emperors when addressing their army and legions. It is an image designed to portray the Emperor as victorious and all-conquering.
What did the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius inspire?
The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius is an enduring monument, one that links the city’s many phases, ancient and modern. It has borne witness to the city’s imperial glory, post-imperial decline, its Renaissance resurgence, and even its quotidian experience in the twenty-first century.
What significance did the relocation of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius?
The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius has always been intimately connected with its placement. Its original location in the Roman Forum or near the Antonine Column represented its original function as an honorary monument to the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. It was a public monument erected in a public location.
What style of art is the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius?
Roman art
The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius is one of the most important surviving works of Roman art, and the best example we have of ancient equestrian portraits.
Why wasn’t the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius destroyed?
At this time the equestrian statue was located in the Lateran quarter of the city of Rome near the Lateran Palace, where it may have been since at least the eighth century C.E. Popular theories at the time held that the bearded emperor was in fact Constantine I, thus sparing the statue from being melted down.
Why did the Christians preserve the statue of Marcus Aurelius?
Its preservation is attributed to a mistaken identification of the Emperor as Constantine, who legalized Christianity in the Roman Emperor and thus was looked upon kindly by the early Church. Normally, bronze statues would be melted down so the metal could be re-used. The original location of the statue is unknown.
Why was this ancient Roman equestrian statue never destroyed or melted down?
The statue is the only surviving statue of the 22 equestrian statues of ancient Rome. It was believed that the Senate dedicated the statue to Constantine, which in turn prevented it from being melted down as recyclable bronze.
Why did the statue of Marcus Aurelius survive?
The equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome owes its preservation on the Campidoglio to the popular mis-identification of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor, with Constantine the Great, the Christian emperor; indeed, more than 20 other bronze equestrian statues of various emperors and generals had been …
Who was the the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius believed to be for centuries?
Constantine
It was first documented as a representation of Constantine in the 10th century, when it was given the name “The Horse of Constantine”. It was believed that the Senate dedicated the statue to Constantine, which in turn prevented it from being melted down as recyclable bronze.
Why was equestrian statue of gattamelata important?
The artist crafted the Gattamelata as a tribute to both the military leader and the individualism so revered during the Renaissance. This work of art became the blueprint for equestrian monuments honoring military heroes.
Who was the painter of the Aurelius statue?
The painter and draftsman Hubert Robert, who spent eleven years in Rome (1754-65) studying at the French Academy, is known for his picturesque capriccios – views of the city combining real and imaginary ancient monuments. This capriccio features the famous ancient bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius.
Where does the horse sit in the Aurelius sculpture?
It should be noted that the horse is an important and expressive element of the overall composition. The horseman sits astride the steed, with his left hand guiding the reins and his right arm raised to shoulder level, the hand outstretched.
Which is the oldest equestrian statue in the world?
The only remaining equestrian statue from the Roman Empire is the well-known statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121–180). It is not only the oldest equestrian statue in existence, but it has apparently such an aura that it has served for many centuries, and still does today, as an inspiring example of what an equestrian statue should look like.
Why did Rome have so many equestrian statues?
Equestrian statues were also seen as a gift to the people, since these life-sized statues were displayed as public works of art that made the city more beautiful and reaffirmed the greatness of Rome. So, the Romans liked their equestrian statues, and over 20 of these expensive and elaborate sculptures once adorned the city.