Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius Post. Column of Marcus Aurelius - the history of the great empire, frozen in relief

The statue that I saw is a copy in Capitoline Square, the original is kept in one of exhibition halls Capitoline Museums.

The statue of Marcus Aurelius was created in the 160-180s.
This is the only equestrian statue, which has survived from antiquity, since in the Middle Ages it was believed that it depicts Emperor Constantine I the Great, whom Christian church canonized as "Saint Equal to the Apostles".

In the 12th century, the statue was moved to Lateran Square. In the 15th century, the Vatican librarian Bartolomeo Platina compared the images on the coins and recognized the identity of the rider. In 1538, she was placed on the Capitol by order of Pope Paul III. The plinth for the statue was made by Michelangelo; it says: "ex humiliore loco in area capitoliam".

Ancient historians speak of Marcus Aurelius as follows: “From all other inclinations, Marcus Aurelius was distracted by philosophical studies, which made him serious and concentrated. From this, however, his friendliness did not disappear, which he showed, first of all, in relation to his relatives, then to friends, as well as to less familiar people. He was honest without inflexibility, modest without weakness, serious without sullenness”, “He addressed the people as it was customary in a free state. He showed exceptional tact in all cases when it was necessary either to keep people from evil, or to induce them to do good, richly reward some, justify, showing condescension, others. He did bad people good, and good - excellent, calmly enduring even the ridicule of some. He never showed partiality in favor of the imperial treasury when he acted as a judge in such cases, which could bring benefits to the latter. Distinguished by firmness, he was at the same time conscientious.

However, the lot of the Romans during the reign of Marcus Aurelius fell to many disasters. Life forced the emperor-philosopher to become a brave warrior and prudent ruler.

portrait. Equestrian statue of Mark

Aurelius. late antique painting

(Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae)

Glyptothek (collection of busts) / Roman sculptural portrait - one of the most significant periods in the development of the world portrait, covering about five centuries (I century BC - IV century AD), is characterized by extraordinary realism and the desire to convey character depicted; in ancient Roman fine arts in terms of quality, it occupies one of the first places among other genres.

It is distinguished by a significant number of monuments that have come down to us, which, in addition to art, have significant historical value, as they complement written sources, showing us the faces of participants in important historical events. According to researchers, this period laid the foundation for the subsequent development of the European realistic portrait. The vast majority of the images are made in marble, there are also bronze images that have come down in smaller numbers. Although many Roman portraits have been identified with specific individuals or directly have an inscription indicating who served as their model, not a single name of a Roman portraitist has survived.

One of the roots of the realism of the Roman portrait was its technique: according to many scholars, the Roman portrait developed from death masks, which were taken from the dead and kept at the home altar (lararium) along with figures of lars and penates. They were made of wax and were called imagines.

The political function of the Roman portrait

With the onset of the Empire, the portrait of the emperor and his family became one of the most powerful means of propaganda.

The development of the ancient Roman portrait was associated with an increased interest in the individual person, with the expansion of the circle of those portrayed. Rome is characterized by an emerging interest in a particular person (in contrast to the interest in a person in general in the art of ancient Greece). The basis of the artistic structure of many ancient Roman portraits is a clear and scrupulous transmission of the unique features of the model, while maintaining the unity of the individual and the typical. Unlike the ancient Greek portrait with its tendency to idealization (the Greeks believed that good man must be beautiful - kalokagatia), the Roman sculptural portrait turned out to be as naturalistic as possible and is still considered one of the most realistic examples of the genre in the history of art. The ancient Romans had such faith in themselves that they considered a person worthy of respect in the form that it is, without any embellishment and idealization, with all wrinkles, baldness and overweight (see, for example, the portrait of Emperor Vitellius).

Roman portrait painters for the first time attempted to solve the problem that ultimately faces contemporary artists, - to convey not only the external individual appearance of a certain person, but also the distinctive features of his character.

General trends

They were created not only by Roman artisans, but also by slave masters, including captured Greeks. However, a general proportion cannot be established.

Big number forgeries in modern times and false reconstructions

Identification of marble heads by comparison with profiles on coins

The portrait of the emperor (dynastic portraits) is in most cases the most representative for determining the general era style, since these works were performed by the most skilled artisans and, in addition, the rest of the subjects, ordering their images, were guided by the fashion set by the emperor.

The works created in the capital were reference. At the same time, a provincial portrait in its style could lag behind fashion for decades. In addition, in the provincial portrait (depending on the region), the influence of the Greek portrait was stronger.

On Capitoline Square there is a monument to Marcus Aurelius, the only surviving ancient bronze equestrian statue. The statue survived only because it was considered the image of Emperor Constantine the Great, who patronized Christians and was always deeply revered by them. Mark Annius Catilius Severus, who went down in history under the name of Marcus Aurelius, was born in Rome on April 26, 121. In 139, he was adopted by Emperor Antoninus Pius, then he became known as Marc Elius Aurelius Ver Caesar. Subsequently, as the emperor wore legal name Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (or Marcus Antoninus Augustus).

Aurelius received an excellent education. From the age of twelve he began a serious study of philosophy and was engaged in it all his life. After his death, what remained was written by him in Greek philosophical essay"To yourself." Thanks to this work, Aurelius went down in history as an emperor-philosopher. From childhood, Mark learned the principles of stoic philosophy and was a model of a stoic: he was a moral, modest person and was distinguished by exceptional stamina in enduring the vicissitudes of life. "From the most young years he possessed such a calm character that neither joy nor grief was in any way reflected in the expression of his face. " In the essay "To Yourself" there are such words: this moment busy, to perform as worthy of a Roman and a husband, with full and sincere cordiality, with love for people, with freedom and justice; and also about putting aside all other ideas. You will succeed if you perform every task as if it were the last in your life, free from all recklessness, from disregard for the dictates of reason due to passions, from hypocrisy and dissatisfaction with your fate. You see how few are the requirements by which anyone can live a blissful and divine life. And the gods themselves will not demand anything more from the one who fulfills these requirements.

Time human life- moment; its essence is an eternal flow; sensation is vague; the structure of the whole body is perishable; the soul is unstable; fate is mysterious; fame is unreliable. In a word, everything pertaining to the body is like a stream, pertaining to the soul is like a dream and smoke. Life is a struggle and a journey through a foreign land; posthumous glory - oblivion.

Do not act either against your will, or contrary to the common good, or as a reckless person or succumbing to the influence of some passion, do not clothe your thought in magnificent forms, do not get carried away either by verbosity or busywork ... "

Antoninus Pius introduced Marcus Aurelius to the government in 146, giving him the power of tribune of the people. In addition to Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius also adopted Lucius Verus, so that after his death, power passed immediately to two emperors, whose joint reign continued until the death of Lucius Verus in 169. But during the period of their joint reign, the decisive word always belonged to Marcus Aurelius.

The reign of the Antonine dynasty was perhaps the most prosperous in the history of the Roman Empire, when not only the city of Rome, but also the provinces enjoyed the benefits of peacetime and experienced an economic boom, and the doors of Rome opened wide for the provincials. Elius Aristides, referring to the Romans, wrote: “With you, everything is open to everyone. Anyone who is worthy of a state position or public trust ceases to be considered a stranger. The name of a Roman ceased to belong only to the city of Rome, but became the property of all civilized mankind. ruling the world as if it were one family.

Nowadays, all cities compete with each other in beauty and attractiveness. Everywhere there are many squares, water pipes, solemn portals, temples, craft workshops and schools. Cities shine with splendor and beauty, and the whole earth blooms like a garden."

About Marcus Aurelius, ancient historians speak as follows: “From all other inclinations of Marcus Aurelius, philosophical studies distracted him, which made him serious and concentrated. However, his friendliness, which he showed, first of all, in relation to his relatives, - to friends, as well as to people less familiar. He was honest without intransigence, modest without weakness, serious without sullenness.

"He addressed the people in the way that was customary in a free state. He showed exceptional tact in all cases when it was necessary either to keep people from evil, or to induce them to do good, richly reward some, justify others by showing indulgence. He He made bad people good and good people excellent, even enduring the ridicule of some. ".

However, the lot of the Romans during the reign of Marcus Aurelius fell to many disasters. Life forced the emperor-philosopher to become a brave warrior and prudent ruler.

In 162, the Romans had to launch military operations against the Parthian troops, who invaded Armenia and Syria. In 163, Rome defeated Armenia, and in next year over Parthia. But neither Armenia nor Parthia were turned into Roman provinces and retained their de facto independence.

The victory of the Romans was largely brought to naught by the fact that in 165 a plague broke out in the Roman troops stationed in the East. The epidemic spread to Asia Minor, to Egypt, and then to Italy and the Rhine. In 167, a plague took over Rome.

In the same year, powerful Germanic tribes of the Marcomanni and Quadi, as well as the Sarmatians, invaded the Roman possessions on the Danube. The war with the Germans and Sarmatians had not yet ended, when unrest began in Northern Egypt.

After the suppression of the uprising in Egypt and after the end of the war with the Germans and Sarmatians in 175, the governor of Syria, Avid Cassius, an outstanding commander, proclaimed himself emperor, and Marcus Aurelius was in danger of losing power. Ancient historians write about this event like this: “Avidius Cassius, who in the East proclaimed himself emperor, was killed by soldiers against the will of Marcus Aurelius and without his knowledge. Upon learning of the uprising, Marcus Aurelius was not very angry and did not apply any harsh measures to children and relatives Avidius Cassius. The Senate declared him an enemy and confiscated his property. Marcus Aurelius did not want it to go to the imperial treasury, and therefore, at the direction of the Senate, it passed into the state treasury. Marcus Aurelius did not order, but only allowed Avidius Cassius to be killed, so that it was clear to everyone that he would spare him if it depended on him."

In 177, Rome fought the Mauritanians and won. In 178, the Marcomanni and other tribes again moved into the Roman possessions. Marcus Aurelius, together with his son Commodus, led the campaign against the Germans, and he managed to achieve great success, but the plague began again in the Roman troops.

From the plague on March 17, 180, Marcus Aurelius died on the Danube in Vindobona (modern Vienna). In the portraits, Marcus Aurelius appears as a man living inner life. Everything that arose already under Hadrian is brought to the last line in him. Even those sleekness and external gloss that connected Adrian with the external environment are disappearing. The hair is even thicker and fluffier, the beard is even longer, the chiaroscuro in strands and curls is crushed even brighter. The relief of the face is even more developed, with deep wrinkles and folds. And even more expressive is the look, conveyed by a very special technique: the pupils are drilled and raised to the heavy, half-closed eyelids. The look is the most important thing in a portrait. This is a new look - quiet, withdrawn into itself, detached from earthly fuss. From the honorary monuments of Marcus Aurelius, a triumphal column in honor of the German and Sarmatian campaigns and an equestrian statue have been preserved. The triumphal column was built in 176-193 on the model of Trajan's column. The column of Marcus Aurelius is made up of thirty marble blocks with a sculptural relief that rises in a spiral and unfolds before the viewer pictures of battles with the Sarmatians and Marcomanni. At the top stood a bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius, which was later replaced by a statue of St. Paul. Inside the column, a staircase of 203 steps is illuminated by 56 light holes. The square, in the center of which stands the column of Marcus Aurelius, is succinctly called Piazza Colonna.

The monumental bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius was created around 170. In the 16th century, after a long break, the statue was again installed according to the design of Michelangelo in Capitoline Square in Rome on a pedestal of strict form. It is designed to be considered different points vision, impressing with the splendor of plastic forms. Having lived his life on campaigns, Marcus Aurelius is depicted in a toga - the clothes of a Roman, without imperial distinctions. The image of the emperor is the embodiment of the civic ideal and humanity. The concentrated face of the Stoic is full of consciousness of moral duty, peace of mind. With a wide pacifying gesture, he addresses the people. This is the image of a philosopher, the author of "Reflections in private", indifferent to fame and fortune. The folds of his clothes merge him with the mighty body of a magnificently molded slow-moving horse. The movement of the horse, as it were, echoes the movement of the rider, complementing his image. “More beautiful and smarter than the head of the horse of Marcus Aurelius,” wrote the German historian Winckelmann, “cannot be found in nature.”

An equestrian statue of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius has survived only through a mistake. This is the only ancient bronze equestrian monument that has come down to us. Such statues in Ancient Rome there were many, but they were all melted down in the Middle Ages, with the exception of this one, which was considered an image of Emperor Constantine the Great, revered by Christians:

Gilded bronze statue for a long time was in front of the pope's residence, the Lateran Palace. In the 16th century, Michelangelo placed it in the center of the Capitoline Square:

In recent years, after restoration, Marcus Aurelius is under the roof of the new hall of the Capitoline Museums. There is now a copy on the square: http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/janet1981/view/66746/?page=4
It was made using the latest technologies, but, nevertheless, the difference between the original and the copy is colossal. The ancient monument is alive:

The equestrian monument is a monument to the commander. The rider's gesture is addressed to the army. Marcus Aurelius really had to fight a lot in his lifetime with the Parthians, barbarian tribes, but descendants remember him not as a commander, but as a philosopher on the throne. The emperor managed to repel the attacks of enemies and pacify the rebels, but he did not value military glory highly. Marcus Aurelius was one of the most educated people of his time. He devoted all his free time from state concerns to the study of philosophy. We have a book of his thoughts. In it we read: “Look, do not be caesarized, do not be soaked in porphyry - it happens. Keep yourself simple, worthy, uncorrupted, strict, upright, a friend of justice, pious, benevolent, affable, strong for every proper work. Enter the struggle to remain the way the teaching you have accepted wants you to be. Honor the gods, save the people. Life is short; one fruit of earthly existence is a righteous mental warehouse and deeds for the common good.
Marcus Aurelius was born in 121. In 138 he was adopted by Antoninus Pius, from whom he inherited power in 161. The co-ruler of Marcus Aurelius was Lucius Ver, who died in 169. Marcus Aurelius died during a military campaign in 180.

The emperor's horse is magnificent! Winckelmann, the author of the first "History of the Art of Antiquity", believed that "more beautiful and smarter than the head of the horse of Marcus Aurelius cannot be found in nature."