PATRICIAN CARRYING BUSTS Or how to carry your family tree in two hands

WHAT IS IT ??? Life size statue of a Roman Patrician carrying two busts (heads). Finished somewhere between 10BC and the start of the first half of the first century AD.

THE BUSTS Both realistic (= Veristic). Both stop just below the neck (= sign of Late Republican period). They are two old men and represent the patricians ancestors. They are both held close to indicate the close relationship to the patrician carrying them.

BOTH BUSTS RIGHT HAND BUST Later than the other; this one c.40-30BC Probably the patrician’s father Short hair that is combed forward towards the forehead Groves around mouth Tight thin mouth and lips A very severe look (HIS) LEFT HAND BUST Style of c.50BC Probably of the man’s grandfather Balding head with wrinkles under the man’s neck

SO WHAT IS THIS VERISTIC STYLE??? VERISTIC STYLE = true, ‘warts and all’. This can be seen by the wrinkles and the creases shown on the faces: EEspecially on the brow, AAt the corners of the eyes, AAt the sides of the mouth. Drapery hangs in irregular folds.

SOME LAST POINTS… Great attention to detail, ie: bone structure, skin, hair and eyes. The original masks were made of wax as it was tradition to have wax busts (death masks) of deceased patrician’s in their households. Only patrician’s could have portrait busts made. These busts were therefore a status symbols.

THE PARTICIAN CARRYING BUSTS