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Marcus
Aurelius: Statue of Marcus Aurelius Roman,
1st century A.D. Marble Antikensammlung,
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin L.98.AA.67
Roman
Emperor is alive and well at the Getty Museum
By
Kara Ogushi
Daily Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
Standing
larger than life upon a podium, he towers
above you commanding respect.
The
details are beautiful and disturbing at
the same time, because it appears so life-like.
The finger tips and facial features are
so realistic and artfully crafted; it would
almost seem as if he were moving to speak.
The
visitors huddle in the small room where
he stands and are entranced by the craftsmanship
and beautiful marble that glitters, while
being bathed by the gentle lighting that
seems reminiscent of familiar holy images.
Around the room, patrons whisper in a reverent
manner as if by some miracle, marble has
been molded into life.
Draped
in a cuirass (pronounced kwee-rass) and
a paluda-mentum (a long military cloak symbolizing
strength), Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius
will be making his final exit from the J.
Paul Getty Museum on Sept.12.
The
statue has been on loan from the Pergamon
Museum in Berlin since 1998 in a collaborative
project to conserve, stabilize and preserve
the ancient statue, which is part of the
"Statue of"an Emperor: A Conservation
Partnership," exhibit.
The
statue originally came from the 17th century
collection of the Villa Montalto Negroni
in Rome, Italy. It was then acquired by
the Royal Cabinet collection of Berlin in
1971, and eventually displayed in the Pergamon
Museum at the beginning of the 20th century
according to the Getty Museum Web site.
The
body of the statue was created around 69-98
A.D., while Aurelius's head was created
around 144-145 A.D. It was not uncommon
practice in Rome for the head of a statue
to be interchangeable in case someone fell
out of favor with royalty or an important
person died.
The
statue was originally cut from one piece
of marble and has been restored at least
three times in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The statue now consists of 40 fragments
of four different types of marble (due to
previous restoration projects) and weighs
about 1,400 pounds, the equivalent of a
Volkswagen Bug!
Aurelius
was most recently portrayed in 2000 in the
motion picture "Gladiator," with
Richard Harris (Marcus Aurelius), Russell
Crowe (Maximus Meridus) and Joaquin Phoenix
(Commodus, Aurelius's son).
Although
the film centered more on the rivalry between
Maximus and Commodus than Aurelius, it still
gives you some insight into Aurelius's life
and beliefs.
Aurelius
was known as the "philosopher in purple,"
because of his interest in philosophy and
the fact that he was entitled to wear purple
garments as emperor. His reign lasted from
161-180 A.D. and was thought to mark the
"Golden Age of Rome."
His
writings on the meditations of the philosophy
of Stoicism, the belief that individuals
should think and act responsibly and unselfishly,
reflected his own belief system.
The
cuirass he wears was made of bronze for
strength, and then decorated with gold and
silver. The decorations conveyed propagandistic
messages that expressed the supremacy of
Rome and were worn like a belt.
The
first cuirass, called "Victory's burning
incense," personifies Victory and is
an honor normally reserved for gods and
heroes. The second cuirass was called "Bearded
Mask"; this image was designed to avert
evil and is probably the face of a river
god.
The
next cuirass is "Eagle" which
is the attribute of Jupiter, the king of
gods and a symbol of the Roman Empire.
"Gorgoneion"
is next; it is the head of Gorgon Medusa
which is an attribute of the war goddess
Minerva. A Medusa head was thought to protect
the wearer.
The
final two are the "Head of a lynx"
and "Head of a lion". The lynx
is a motif referring to the Roman military
campaigns in the East, while the lion is
a traditional symbol of power.
Statues such as these were created to honor
reigning or deceased emperors, members of
the imperial family, victorious generals,
local heroes, and Mars, the god of war.
Once
Marcus Aurelius leaves the Getty museum
on Sept. 12, the statue will be on display
at the Art Institute of Chicago for one
year before returning to Berlin. Don't miss
an opportunity to see this historic piece
of art before it slips away.
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