Roman portrait head
- Gallery: Room 70
- Culture: Roman
- Date: 130-140 (circa)
- Object type: portrait head
- Materials: marble
- Museum number: 1805,0703.97
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a Roman portrait head, carved from smooth marble. The figure depicted is believed to portray Antinous, a favorite of the Emperor Hadrian, and possibly wearing a wreath associated with Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry.
Notice the intricate details of the ivy wreath crowned on his head, suggesting a representation of a deity or a symbolic role in Roman art. This head was once part of a larger statue, later repurposed when discovered in the 18th century.
The piece was acquired in 1805 by the museum from Peregrine Edward Towneley, whose collection formed the basis of many British Museum acquisitions. The head itself dates back to around 130–140 AD and was originally found on the Janiculine Hill in Rome.
While the bust you’re seeing today is a modern reconstruction, the original sculpture offers a window into Roman portraiture practices and appreciation for classical forms.
See it in person
Roman portrait head is on display in Room 70 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
