The philosopher Epicurus, 342—271 BC
Marble.
Roman copy of the 1st century CE after a Greek original of the 3rd century BCE.
Height 45 cm. Inv. No. 607.Copenhagen, New Carlsberg GlyptotekPhoto by Sergey Sosnovskiy

The philosopher Epicurus, 342—271 BC.

Marble.
Roman copy of the 1st century CE after a Greek original of the 3rd century BCE.
Height 45 cm.
Inv. No. 607.

Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek
(København, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek).

Origin:
Purchased in 1890, in Rome, from Martinetti.
Description:

38. The philosopher, Epicurus

The portrait depicts the philosopher Epicurus (342/41 — 271/70 B.C.). There are almost thirty known Roman copies of this particular portrait type. The identity of the subject of the Epicurus portrait has been confirmed by two portraits bearing inscriptions (a small bronze bust from Herculaneum in Naples and a double herm, where Epicurus is placed alongside of Metrodorus, in the Capitol Museum in Rome, cf. Richter, Portraits, II, fig. 1153 and figs. 1175—77).
Original: 3rd cent B.C. Copy: 1st cent A.D.

I. N. 607
Bust.
Marble. H. 0.45 m.
The nose, the lips and the uppermost section of the head have broken off and they are missing.
A duct runs from the lower part of the face up to the mouth. F. Poulsen suggested that the head might have functioned as an oracle. The oracle could then issue prophesies through a speaking tube.
Purchased in 1890, in Rome, from Martinetti.

F. Johansen
Literature:
F. Poulsen 1951, Cat. 416. V. Poulsen 1954, Cat. 33. Richter, Portraits, II, fig. 1178—1179. Kruse-Berdoldt, Kopienkritische Untersuchungen, 19, E 13. H. Wrede, AM 97 (1982) 242. R. Winkes, RALouvain XVI (1983) 86. H.v. Heintze, Studi e Materiali, Istituto di Archeologia, Univ. di Palermo, 6 (1984) Studi in Onore di Achille Adriani, III, 765 ff. B. Schmaltz, MarbWPr (1985) 55.
Credits:
(сс) 2008. Photo: Sergey Sosnovskiy (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Text: museum inscription to the sculpture.
© 1992. Description: F. Johansen. Greek portraits: catalogue. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, 1992, p. 96, cat. no. 38.
THE GALLERY OF ANCIENT ART
Keywords: γλυπτική sculptura sculpture sculptural scultura skulptur ρωμαϊκό roman romana romano romani römisch römische römisches römischen römischer romain romaine romains romaines ελληνική φιγούρα greek figures greeks figura greca figure greche greco greci griechische figur figuren grieche griechen grecque grecques grec grecs ρωμαϊκό αντίγραφο copy copia kopie copie κεφάλι head testa kopf tête απεικόνιση portrait portraiture ritratto ritrattistica porträtmalerei porträt ἐπίκουρος επίκουρος έλληνας φιλόσοφος epicurus epíkouros philosopher filosofo epicuro griechischer philosoph epikur philosophe épicure marble bust the after a original beard inv no 607
History of Ancient Rome