Lanuvium Claudius
Title
Lanuvium Claudius
Date
ca. 42-43 AD, Early Imperial Period
Artist or Workshop
Unknown
Materials
Marble
Height of the work
254 cm tall
Provenience
Lanuvium, Latium, Italy
Current Location
Musei Vaticani in Rome, Italy
Sitter Biography
Claudius was a Roman Emperor from the Julio-Claudian family who ruled from 41-54 AD. He was the uncle of Caligula and was discovered hiding behind a curtain following the assassination of his nephew. He was 51 years old when proclaimed emperor. Claudius suffered from a stutter and limp and preferred studying history rather than participating in the military. However, he would go on to occupy Britain during his reign. He initiated many public works until his death in 54 AD, likely the victim of poisoning from his wife Agrippina.
Description and Significance
Description:
This larger than life-size statue of Claudius is composed of marble, giving it a white appearance throughout. An inscription is below the statue base, which states that this statue was erected in 42-43 by the senate and people of Lanuvium to honor Claudius. He is standing in a contrapposto stance, with his right leg forward with the weight resting on it. His left foot is positioned behind, with its’ heel raised and knee slightly bent. An eagle is next to his right leg and is looking up at Claudius. He is draped in a piece of cloth that wraps around his waist, covering his thighs and knees, and extends over his left shoulder. A myriad of deep folds can be seen across the piece of fabric. The stomach and chest of the statue portrays a youthful, strong body. Abdominal muscles are shown in addition to clear muscular definition on the biceps and forearms. His right arm is held out in front of him at a downwards angle. He is holding a small round disk in his palm, likely a patera. His left arm is held upwards around his head, clutching a scepter. The head of Claudius shows an older man with closed lips, ever so slightly upturned. Lines running from the nose to the corner of the mouth are distinct, in addition to multiple bags underneath the eyes. Small crows’ feet extend from the corner of the long eyes. The forehead is creased, and his ears are facing slightly forward. In the left eye, there appears to be faint traces of a red/orange paint, indicating the statue was originally colored. Claudius’s hair is done in the comma lock style, with a part in the center above the left eye. He is wearing a corona civica, a crown of oak leaves around his head, leaving a small gap in the center above his forehead. Running down both sides of his neck is a piece of fabric, likely the tail end of the oak leaf crown.
Significance:
This massive statue of Claudius signifies a departure from idealism and a return to verisim in Roman portraiture. While the body of this statue is youthful and idealized, that is because it is designed in the guise of the god Jupiter. Gods are always depicted with muscular and young bodies, and the eagle and scepter are both symbols of Jupiter. Scholars dispute the interpretation of the patera in the left hand of Claudius, as they believe that it was originally holding a thunderbolt, further signifying the connection to the god. Portraying Claudius in this way served to connect the emperor with Jupiter. It represents his power and rule over the Roman world, mimicking Jupiter’s role as king of the Gods. The predominate nudity of the statue may also serve as a connection to Greek heroic nudity. Moreover, Claudius was not the most physically able man, as he suffered from a stutter and limp. By depicting him with the body of Jupiter, these physical ailments would be concealed, and he could be represented as strong rather than weak. Contrasting his idealized body, the head was done in the veristic style to capture Claudius’s age and more lifelike appearance. Wrinkles and signs of age are intentionally included; the interpretation is that to the Romans, this is evidence of experience and the virtues which they may possess. Claudius chose to employ the veristic style for his portraiture to represent a return to Republican values and ideals, as the Republic is when verisim originated. He was further trying to distance himself from the previous emperor, Caligula. Caligula’s reign was a time of terror, so Claudius thought it best to separate himself as much as possible. However, Claudius still represented himself with the Julio-Claudian hairstyle involving comma locks and a part in the center. He is still maintaining his familial line through his representation in portraiture, yet simultaneously distancing himself from his predecessors and marking a return to verisim.
This larger than life-size statue of Claudius is composed of marble, giving it a white appearance throughout. An inscription is below the statue base, which states that this statue was erected in 42-43 by the senate and people of Lanuvium to honor Claudius. He is standing in a contrapposto stance, with his right leg forward with the weight resting on it. His left foot is positioned behind, with its’ heel raised and knee slightly bent. An eagle is next to his right leg and is looking up at Claudius. He is draped in a piece of cloth that wraps around his waist, covering his thighs and knees, and extends over his left shoulder. A myriad of deep folds can be seen across the piece of fabric. The stomach and chest of the statue portrays a youthful, strong body. Abdominal muscles are shown in addition to clear muscular definition on the biceps and forearms. His right arm is held out in front of him at a downwards angle. He is holding a small round disk in his palm, likely a patera. His left arm is held upwards around his head, clutching a scepter. The head of Claudius shows an older man with closed lips, ever so slightly upturned. Lines running from the nose to the corner of the mouth are distinct, in addition to multiple bags underneath the eyes. Small crows’ feet extend from the corner of the long eyes. The forehead is creased, and his ears are facing slightly forward. In the left eye, there appears to be faint traces of a red/orange paint, indicating the statue was originally colored. Claudius’s hair is done in the comma lock style, with a part in the center above the left eye. He is wearing a corona civica, a crown of oak leaves around his head, leaving a small gap in the center above his forehead. Running down both sides of his neck is a piece of fabric, likely the tail end of the oak leaf crown.
Significance:
This massive statue of Claudius signifies a departure from idealism and a return to verisim in Roman portraiture. While the body of this statue is youthful and idealized, that is because it is designed in the guise of the god Jupiter. Gods are always depicted with muscular and young bodies, and the eagle and scepter are both symbols of Jupiter. Scholars dispute the interpretation of the patera in the left hand of Claudius, as they believe that it was originally holding a thunderbolt, further signifying the connection to the god. Portraying Claudius in this way served to connect the emperor with Jupiter. It represents his power and rule over the Roman world, mimicking Jupiter’s role as king of the Gods. The predominate nudity of the statue may also serve as a connection to Greek heroic nudity. Moreover, Claudius was not the most physically able man, as he suffered from a stutter and limp. By depicting him with the body of Jupiter, these physical ailments would be concealed, and he could be represented as strong rather than weak. Contrasting his idealized body, the head was done in the veristic style to capture Claudius’s age and more lifelike appearance. Wrinkles and signs of age are intentionally included; the interpretation is that to the Romans, this is evidence of experience and the virtues which they may possess. Claudius chose to employ the veristic style for his portraiture to represent a return to Republican values and ideals, as the Republic is when verisim originated. He was further trying to distance himself from the previous emperor, Caligula. Caligula’s reign was a time of terror, so Claudius thought it best to separate himself as much as possible. However, Claudius still represented himself with the Julio-Claudian hairstyle involving comma locks and a part in the center. He is still maintaining his familial line through his representation in portraiture, yet simultaneously distancing himself from his predecessors and marking a return to verisim.
References
http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm/ref/collection/vrc/id/1214
Kleiner, Fred S. “A History of Roman Art, Enhanced Edition”. Cengage Learning Feb 4, 2010. P.p.109-110
Kleiner, E.E Diana. "Roman Sculpture". Yale University Press, 1992. P.p. 130-133
Balas, Edith. “Michelangelo’s Medici Chapel: A New Interpretation”. American Philosophical Society, Volume 216. 1995. P.g. 49.
Contributor
Christopher Peppe
Citation
Unknown, “Lanuvium Claudius,” Digital Portrait "Basket" - ARTH488A - "Ancient Mediterranean Portraiture", accessed November 22, 2024, https://classicalchopped2.artinterp.org/omeka/items/show/37.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.