Portrait Head of Caligula
Portrait Head of Caligula
3D
Published 2016-11-25T16:03:19+00:00
The Roman emperor Gaius, more commonly known by his nickname Caligula, ruled from A.D. 37 to 41 and was extremely unpopular. In fact, after he was murdered, almost all portraits of him were destroyed.
The Romans had a long tradition of portraiture, but portraits of emperors had a specific propaganda function beyond that of ordinary portraits. The actual appearance of the individual was combined with the political message that the portrait was meant to convey. Portraits of Caligula show a young man with a high forehead, small mouth, and thin lips. He is identifiable as an individual, yet his hairstyle copies that of the emperor Augustus, making a deliberate allusion to his dynastic connection and his right to rule.
The depiction of the emperor in these official portraits bears no resemblance to the unpleasant descriptions of Caligula provided by Roman writers such as Suetonius:
Layer Thickness 200 microns. InFill 10%.
| Date published | 25/11/2016 |
| Time to do | 215 - 235 minutes |
| Material Quantity | 38 grams |
| Dimensions | 52mm x 65mm x 130mm |
| Technology | FDM |
| Title | Portrait Head of Caligula |
| Date | ca. 40 AD |
| Dimension | 43 × 21.5 × 25 cm |
| Period | Roman |
| Medium | Marble |
| Credit | Mohammad Yeganeh (Frankfurt, Germany), sold to the J. Paul Getty Museum, 1972. |
| Record | http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/7005/unknown-maker-portrait-head-of-caligula-roman-about-40/ |
| Place | Getty Center |
