A Roman marble portrait head of Gaius Caesar
A Roman marble portrait head of Gaius Caesar
Augustan Period, circa 1st Century A.D.
Probably of Parian marble, the youth depicted turning slightly to his left, the close-cropped hair carved in wavy locks around the forehead, with deep-set large eyes beneath slightly frowning brows, 35cm high
Provenance:
Private collection, UK, acquired on the London art market in the 1970s; and thence by descent.
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 25 April 2007, lot 260.
Private collection, UK.
Anonymous sale; Bonhams, London, 16 April 2015, lot 130.
Gaius Caesar (20 B.C.-A.D. 4) and his brother Lucius Caesar (17 B.C.-A.D. 2) were the sons of the Emperor Augustus' only child Julia and his close confidant Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. In lieu of his own natural-born offspring, the Emperor adopted them as his heirs in 17 B.C.
As a result, Gaius and his younger brother Lucius 'played extremely important roles in Augustus' political and dynastic plans' (J. Pollini, The Portraiture of Gaius and Lucius Caesar, New York, 1987, p. 2). Official images of Augustus's grandsons were produced from their childhood, 'deliberately calculated to depict the princes as miniature versions of their illustrious grandfather' (D. Kleiner, Roman Sculpture, New Haven and London, 1992, p. 72).
Portraits of Gaius have been divided into five types and this head has been identified as belonging to Type IV. It is thought that this type was created in A.D. 1 in honour of Gaius's assumption of the consulship (Pollini, op. cit., pp. 56-9). A closely-related example of Type IV is the portrait statue of Gaius from Corinth (Pollini, op. cit., pl.16:1-4). This is part of a marble portrait group of Gaius and Lucius with their grandfather the Emperor which was set up in the Julian Basilica in Corinth.
In 1 B.C., Gaius was given command of the eastern provinces of the empire, a role in which he excelled, concluding a peace treaty with King Phraates V of Parthia. Upon a triumphant return to Rome, he became consul in A.D. 1, but contracted an illness when in Lycia in Anatolia, and died aged just 23. His death followed that of his brother Lucius, destroying Augustus's dynastic plans, and leaving him in fear that his most beloved family members, and ability to secure a smooth succession, were cursed, as his adoption of the brothers had followed his earlier adoption of his beloved nephew Marcellus, who also died prematurely at the age of 19. Augustus went on to adopt Tiberius, his stepson, who eventually took on the role of Emperor in 14 A.D.
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A Roman marble portrait head of Gaius Caesar
Augustan Period, circa 1st Century A.D.
Probably of Parian marble, the youth depicted turning slightly to his left, the close-cropped hair carved in wavy locks around the forehead, with deep-set large eyes beneath slightly frowning brows, 35cm high
Provenance:
Private collection, UK, acquired on the London art market in the 1970s; and thence by descent.
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 25 April 2007, lot 260.
Private collection, UK.
Anonymous sale; Bonhams, London, 16 April 2015, lot 130.
Gaius Caesar (20 B.C.-A.D. 4) and his brother Lucius Caesar (17 B.C.-A.D. 2) were the sons of the Emperor Augustus' only child Julia and his close confidant Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. In lieu of his own natural-born offspring, the Emperor adopted them as his heirs in 17 B.C.
As a result, Gaius and his younger brother Lucius 'played extremely important roles in Augustus' political and dynastic plans' (J. Pollini, The Portraiture of Gaius and Lucius Caesar, New York, 1987, p. 2). Official images of Augustus's grandsons were produced from their childhood, 'deliberately calculated to depict the princes as miniature versions of their illustrious grandfather' (D. Kleiner, Roman Sculpture, New Haven and London, 1992, p. 72).
Portraits of Gaius have been divided into five types and this head has been identified as belonging to Type IV. It is thought that this type was created in A.D. 1 in honour of Gaius's assumption of the consulship (Pollini, op. cit., pp. 56-9). A closely-related example of Type IV is the portrait statue of Gaius from Corinth (Pollini, op. cit., pl.16:1-4). This is part of a marble portrait group of Gaius and Lucius with their grandfather the Emperor which was set up in the Julian Basilica in Corinth.
In 1 B.C., Gaius was given command of the eastern provinces of the empire, a role in which he excelled, concluding a peace treaty with King Phraates V of Parthia. Upon a triumphant return to Rome, he became consul in A.D. 1, but contracted an illness when in Lycia in Anatolia, and died aged just 23. His death followed that of his brother Lucius, destroying Augustus's dynastic plans, and leaving him in fear that his most beloved family members, and ability to secure a smooth succession, were cursed, as his adoption of the brothers had followed his earlier adoption of his beloved nephew Marcellus, who also died prematurely at the age of 19. Augustus went on to adopt Tiberius, his stepson, who eventually took on the role of Emperor in 14 A.D.
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