Marble Portrait of the Emperor Caracalla

Culture: Roman

Period: 211-217 A.D.

Material: Marble

Dimensions: 14.7 cm high

Price: 28 000 Euro

Ref: 3738

Provenance: Private collection Vienna, 19th century, based on the mounting on an antique red marble bust. Thereafter, it remained in the family estate for a long time. Before 1992 with Gallery Schönbrunn, Vienna. Acquired there on February 17, 1992, by Dr. Ewald Nowotny, former director of the Austrian National Bank, with the inventory number A0053. With collection note.

Condition: The nose broken off in ancient time, a small abrasion on the back of the head has been retouched. Otherwise very well preserved. The head was mounted on a red marble bust in the 19th century and smoothed at the fracture point. As part of the remounting, the head was professionally removed from the non-belonging bust.

Description: Smaller than life-size and very high-quality marble portrait of the Emperor Caracalla. The sculptural head with a round face depicts Caracalla with his typical short curls and a wavy stubble beard. This presentation clearly distinguishes him from the portraits of his predecessors, who were depicted with full hair and full beard. Characteristics are the deep forehead wrinkles, especially the ones running diagonally from the nose, as well as the deep vertical frown lines, which should express the determination of the young monarch. The eyes sit particularly deep below bulging brows. They look out from heavy upper lids. Iris and pupil are engraved and led a notably realistic impression to the portrait. The beard runs from the sides over the cheeks to the neck and ends at the chin, which has a distinctive dimple. Above the upper lip the whiskers with a deep philtrum. The thick short curly hair covers the entire head, the finely modelled ears are free. See for the portraits of Caracalla, who was murdered with only 29 years as part of a conspiracy, the head in the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the object number 40.11.1a, as well as in the Museum of Fine Art Houston with the object number 2007.1188. Mounted.