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This marble head belonged to an over-life-size statue of the emperor Hadrian’s companion, Antinous. Chemical analysis of a sample from this portrait indicated that its marble likely came from the quarries on Mount Pentelikon, near Athens.
Portrait of Antinous as Dionysos Portrait of Antinous as Dionysos (A.D. 130–138) by UnknownSan Antonio Museum of Art
The thick curls, smooth cheeks, and straight brows above heavy eyelids are all typical features of Antinous’s portraits. His right hand resting on his head remains from when the statue was complete, and the youth stood in a relaxed pose.
Portrait of Antinous as DionysosSan Antonio Museum of Art
The small grain size and the flaw along a micaceous vein visible in the right side of the neck are typical of Pentelic marble. The Greeks quarried Pentelic marble as early as the sixth century B.C., and it was widely exported as a material for statues during the Roman Empire.
Portrait of Antinous as DionysosSan Antonio Museum of Art
He wears a wreath of ivy leaves, an attribute borrowed from the god Dionysos. After it was carved, the wreath was covered in a layer of gold leaf. The purple color of several of the leaves on the back of the head is the result of the deterioration of the ancient gilding.
Portrait of Antinous as Dionysos Portrait of Antinous as Dionysos (A.D. 130–138) by UnknownSan Antonio Museum of Art
The hair, facial features, and skin were probably painted, but all that remains of their ancient coloration are scattered microscopic particles of a pigment known as “Egyptian blue.”
Examination of the portrait under magnification and with x-ray fluorescence (XRF) revealed traces of gold leaf, that are now barely visible to the naked eye, making the Museum’s portrait the only marble statue of Antinous on which gilding has been found.
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This story is based on material presented during SAMA’s 2017 exhibition Antinous, the Emperor’s Beloved: Investigating a Roman Portrait, organized by Jessica Powers, the Gilbert M. Denman, Jr., Curator of Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World at the San Antonio Museum of Art.
Head of Antinous as Dionysos, Roman, AD 130–138, marble, h. 15 in. San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Gilbert M. Denman, Jr., 86.134.164. Photo: Peggy Tenison.
Many people contributed to the research presented here, and the Museum gratefully acknowledges their contributions: Dr. Michelle Bushey (Trinity University and National Science Foundation); Madeline J. Corona, Nicole Feldman, and Natalie Seitzman (Trinity University undergraduate students); Dr. Mark Abbe (University of Georgia); Dr. Scott Pike (Willamette University); Jane Gillies (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston); Dr. Cory Rogge (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston/The Menil Collection—Scientific Laboratory); Dr. Robyn Hodgkins (National Gallery of Art and Trinity University); and Peggy Tenison (photographer). Our research was supported by the bequest of Gilbert M. Denman, Jr., Trinity University, the Earl C. Sam Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, the Welch Foundation, the W. M. Keck Foundation Undergraduate Research Program, and the National Science Foundation.
