Portrait of Emperor Hadrian

Of all the Roman emperors, Hadrian (ruled A.D. 117–38) is the one whose portrait is most frequently found across the empire, from Britain to Persia, from Asia Minor to Egypt. Hadrian traveled widely, visiting most of the provinces during the twenty years of his reign, and commissioned buildings, aqueducts, and roads in many cities. Citizens responded to Hadrian’s generosity by erecting numerous statues in his honor, and after his death they revered him as a god.
Hadrian was the first Roman emperor to wear a beard, perhaps in emulation of the Greek philosophers, whom he revered. Here the closely cropped beard contrasts with the voluptuous mass of deeply carved curls that frame his face. This sculpture also features an innovative trend in Roman portraiture: the artist carefully sculpted the irises and pupils of the eyes rather than rendering them in paint as was conventional.