BUST OF EMPEROR LUCIUS VERUS (161—169 AD)
Lucius Verus was the son-in-law of Marcus Aurelius, who ruled with him jointly from 161 AD up until the death of Lucius Verus. The colossal marble portrait preserved in the Louvre was found in the villa of the family, together with a similarly sized head of Marcus Aurelius; both were probably made after the death of the latter. The features are individualised, but the hair and the long beard evoke the portraits of Marcus Aurelius, even though the two men had quite different characters. It is one of the best examples for the dramatic “baroque” style that broke with classical tradition and became fashionable at the end of the second century AD. The statue is a representative of the only known portrait type of Lucius Verus, which evolved during his reign.
The exhibited plaster copy was made of the marble bust held in the Musée du Louvre, Paris.
