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a marble bust of a woman with curly haira white marble bust of a young man with curly haira close up of a bust of a woman with curly haira white marble bust of a woman with curly haira white marble bust of a woman with curly haira marble bust of a man ' s head on a pedestal
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49 - BUST OF THE YOUNG MARC AURELIUS White marble Height: 42 cm; …
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Estimate €15,000 - €20,000
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Description
BUST OF THE YOUNG MARC AURELIUS White marble Height: 42 cm; total height including plinth: 52.7 cm. Italy, first half of the 18th century A youthful, beardless head; the idealised face turned slightly to the right, framed by a thick head of curly hair deeply carved at the crown; a nude bust cut off below the shoulders, resting on a moulded circular marble plinth. The bust reproduces the ancient portrait of the young Marcus Aurelius known as the ‘first type’, likely created shortly after 139 AD, the year in which the prince was granted the title of Caesar. Known from numerous replicas (around twenty have been recorded), this type depicts the future emperor as a beardless adolescent, with smooth facial features and thick, wavy hair — traits that this version faithfully reproduces. Two key ancient references: the bust in the Musei Capitolini, Rome (Inv. Scu 279, fig. 1) and another version held at the Altes Museum, Berlin (Sk 370, fig. 2), dated to around 138–144 AD. ITALY, first half of the 18th century. White marble bust of the young Marcus Aurelius. A youthful, beardless head, the idealised face turned slightly to the right, framed by thick, curling hair deeply carved with a drill; a nude bust cut off at the shoulders, mounted on a turned circular marble plinth.The bust reproduces the ancient portrait of the young Marcus Aurelius known as the ‘first type’, probably created shortly after AD 139, the year the prince was granted the title of Caesar. Documented in numerous replicas (some two dozen), this type depicts the future emperor as an adolescent — beardless, with smooth facial features and abundant wavy hair — characteristics faithfully reproduced here. There are two principal ancient references: the bust in the Musei Capitolini, Rome (Inv. Scu 279, fig. 1) and a further version in the Altes Museum, Berlin (Sk 370, fig. 2), dated c. AD 138–144.
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About the sale FROM CAESAR TO CAESAR
Auction location
Auction time 07/08/2026 at 3:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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