Scholars in the 16th and 17th centuries were inclined to identify this portrait type, known through a large number of marble and bronze copies, as the philosopher Seneca (4 BCE—65 CE), the young Emperor Nero’s (54—68 CE) tutor. The actual portrait of Seneca, however, was discovered in the 19th century, thus reopening the debate over the clearly famous figure to whom this pained face really does belong. The most convincing suggestions include the Latin poet Ennius or, even more likely, the Greek poet Hesiod, author of the Theogony and of Works and Days, who lived between the end of the 8th and the beginning of the 7th century BCE.
Restored in 2012 thanks to Italia Nostra Toscana in memory of Antonella Romualdi, Director of the Uffizi’s Department of Classical Antiquities from 2001 to 2008.
Bust with the head of a poet
Greek marble. Roman work. 1st cent. CE.Inv. No. 58.Florence, Uffizi GalleryPhoto by Ilya Shurygin
Bust with the head of a poet.
Greek marble. Roman work. 1st cent. CE.
Inv. No. 58.
Florence, Uffizi Gallery (Firenze, Galleria degli Uffizi).
Private collection, Medici.
Description:
Bust with the head of a poet
Greek marble
Inv. 1914, no. 58
Scholars in the 16th and 17th centuries were inclined to identify this portrait type, known through a large number of marble and bronze copies, as the philosopher Seneca (4 BCE—65 CE), the young Emperor Nero’s (54—68 CE) tutor. The actual portrait of Seneca, however, was discovered in the 19th century, thus reopening the debate over the clearly famous figure to whom this pained face really does belong. The most convincing suggestions include the Latin poet Ennius or, even more likely, the Greek poet Hesiod, author of the Theogony and of Works and Days, who lived between the end of the 8th and the beginning of the 7th century BCE.
Restored in 2012 thanks to Italia Nostra Toscana in memory of Antonella Romualdi, Director of the Uffizi’s Department of Classical Antiquities from 2001 to 2008.
Keywords: απεικόνιση portrait portraiture ritratto ritrattistica porträtmalerei porträt ελληνική φιγούρα greek figures greeks figura greca figure greche greco greci griechische figur figuren grieche griechen grecque grecques grec grecs ἡσίοδος ησίοδος poeta graecus hesiodos hesiodus poet hesiod esiodo griechischer dichter poète hésiode of a man male maschile uomo männliches mann masculin un homme porträtbüste portraitkopf roman romana römisches romain romano römischer λεύκιος λούκιος ανναίος σενέκας lucius annaeus seneca philosopher the younger filosofo lucio anneo il giovane philosoph der jüngere philosophe sénèque le jeune γλυπτική sculptura sculpture sculptural scultura skulptur ρωμαϊκό romani römisch römische römischen romaine romains romaines προτομή bust busto büste buste κεφάλι κεφαλή head testa kopf tête marble marmo marmor marbre ελληνικό μάρμαρο from medici collection collezione sammlung pseudo so-called cosiddetto considerato sogenannt sogenannte soi-disant το λεγόμενο ennius inv no 58
