Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Oil on canvas 61 x 49 cm Framed 77.5 x 65 cm
The portrait depicts Augustus, founder and first emperor of the Roman Empire, as indicated by the radiate crown symbolising his divinity: his birth name, Gaius Octavius, was in fact given the title “Augustus” by the Senate, meaning “venerable” or “protected by the gods”, a title later adopted by all his successors.
The portrait depicts him with an idealised and youthful face, with the intention of giving him an essence of eternal youth. The facial features, inspired by the sculptures of the time dedicated to him, such as the shape of the chin and nose, combine the realism of republican portraiture with the idealised forms of classical tradition.
Founder of the Roman Empire, he ruled from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD and is considered one of the most influential figures in history, having transformed the Roman Republic into a principality. The portrait shown here is based on a painting by the Flemish painter Cornelis van Haarlem in 1622, now in the collection of Caputh Castle (https://www.spsg.de/en/palaces-gardens/object/caputh-house), near Potsdam, which was the summer residence of the Electors of Brandenburg from the end of the 16th to the end of the 17th century.
The painting also became famous thanks to the dissemination of the print by Johann Friedrich Leonard (1633-1680), a copy of which is now in the “Staatliche Kunstsammlungen” in Dresden. Imm1. - Cornelis van Haarlem (1562-1638), Portrait of Emperor Augustus, Caputh Castle Collection - Engraving of Emperor Augustus, by Johann Friedrich Leonard (1633-1680), Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
This painting is part of a series of portraits dedicated to Roman emperors, originally commissioned by Prince Maurice of Orange, Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and then passed into the possession of the Grand Elector in 1680.
These works, specifically the first twelve Roman Caesars, were created between 1616 and 1625 by various Dutch and Flemish painters, including Rubens, Hendrick ter Brugghen, Michiel van Mierevelt, and Dirck van Baburen (see image in the details of the room in the Castle where the collection of Caesars is kept).
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
