Posted on 10/19/2013 4:42:07 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79, an over-life-size bronze portrait of Tiberius (ruled A.D. 14–37) was discovered in 1741, during the first years of excavation at Herculaneum. On loan from the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples, this statue is the subject of the exhibitionTiberius: Portrait of an Emperor, on view at the Getty Villa October 16, 2013 through March 3, 2014. Brought to the Getty Villa for conservation and analysis last October, the sculpture provides an opportunity to re-examine the career and character of Rome’s second emperor. The exhibition has been co-organized by the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples...
Standing over eight feet tall, the statue had been off view for decades on account of structural weaknesses in its lower sections and base. Putting this grand imperial portrait back in the public eye was, therefore, the primary goal of the collaboration. In order to do so, Getty conservators developed a new internal support that evenly distributes the substantial weight of the figure -- some 1,050 pounds of bronze -- and ensures its secure and safe display. The statue has also now been fully cleaned, revealing the lustrous dark patina it would have had when first showcased in the Royal Museum at Portici.
This portrait and other works of art were heavily damaged by volcanic debris that inundated Herculaneum. Because it was standard practice in the eighteenth-century to restore sculptures to appear complete and virtually unblemished, the Getty’s investigation of the figure revealed much about the techniques used in these early restorations, such as the pouring of molten bronze to fill missing areas, a series of bolts to secure the additions in place, and the applied patina, which would have hidden any trace of the restorers’ masterful intervention.
(Excerpt) Read more at popular-archaeology.com ...
I think I read that it’s a reproduction of the Piso mansion in Herculaneum.
It is an extraordinary museum, both the buildings and contents. Highly recommended.
The Romans thrived from 700BC until 300AD without debasing gold, then fell soon after the debasement. Debasing your currency is like borrowing money, it feels like your prosperous for a little while, then the chickens come home to roost.
your = you’re
Thanks for illustrating my point — the Romans understood currency better than some people today.
Thanks ct.
My point was there is never a shortage of gold to run an economy, just shortages of intelligence and patience in a lot of cases.
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