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Equestrian Statue Of Marcus Aurelius

Why is the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius so important?

Marcus Aurelius’ Equestrian Statue is a durable monument that connects the city’s different eras: ancient and modern. It has witnessed the city’s imperial luxury, post-imperial decline, Renaissance renaissance, and even its everyday life in the 21st century.

It reminds us of the function of public art in building and strengthening cultural identity in relation to certain events and locations. In the ancient world, the Equestrian Statue would have created strong memories in the viewer. Not only just reaffirming the Emperor’s identity and appearance but also recalling major events, successes, and celebrations during his reign.

What message is shown by the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius?

Marcus Aurelius’ Equestrian Statue represents the great Roman Emperor riding horseback. The emperor is larger than life and extends his hand, like rulers do when keeping track of their armies and legions.

It is an image intended to depict the Emperor as victorious and powerful. Based on medieval chronicles, it is thought that the sculpture originally depicted a conquered adversary.

According to the reports, a bound barbarian chieftain once cowered behind the horse’s front right leg. Marcus Aurelius, on the other hand, is shown without weapons or armor; he is brought up as a bringer of peace rather than a military hero.

Why did the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius survive Destruction?

Despite being mounted, Marcus Aurelius’ statue bears many parallels to Augustus’. The general idea is one of power and celestial grandeur—the emperor is larger than life, taking out his hand in a gesture similar to that of the Augustis image. In this example, the gesture may also represent leniency, as some historians believe a fallen enemy may have been seen begging for compassion beneath the horse’s lifted hoof.

While equestrian imperial portraits are rare now, they were popular prior to the Christianization of Rome. They are rare now because early Christians destroyed large numbers of pre-Christian artworks under the idea that they were pagan idols. Due to an early mistake, the Marcus Aurelius statue was spared.

Who created the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius?

Hubert Robert, a painter and draftsman who studied at the French Academy in Rome for eleven years (1754-65), is noted for his picturesque capriccios – views of the city that combine genuine and fictitious antique monuments. The famous old bronze Equestrian figure of Marcus Aurelius is shown in this capriccio.

The statue is accurate, but its crumbling stone pedestal and inscription are not. Then, which he amended to put in his own name, is fiction. The statue is encircled by an arcade evocative of Bernini’s colonnade for Saint Peter’s Piazza. It has also been altered in detail and in part by architectural components from the Pantheon. Robert has surrounded the statue with an animal skull, bones, and architectural ruins, alluding to the Roman Empire’s former luxury.

How does the equestrian portrait of Marcus Aurelius go beyond Verism?

How does Marcus Aurelius’ Equestrian portrait go beyond verism? Marcus Aurelius’ portraits were the first to depict a tired Roman emperor. The Emperor’s visage betrayed the strain of endless conflict. How did Christianity and Eastern religions inspire Roman funerary art?