Portrait of Trajan

Excavated in 1794 in Portus together with fragments of an armoured statue, near the Temple of Liber Pater.
Date: posthumous? H. 1.28, h. of ancient part 0.56 (nose, upper lip and ears modern).

Reported by Amelung as Sala del Meleagro, until the 1830's Museo Chiaramonti as nr. 578. Today again in the Museo Chiaramonti. Amelung mixes up the findspots of this portrait and the one in the Sala a Croce Greca. According to Raissa Calza the expression is forced and modern, due to restorations by the sculptor Malatesta, in whose studio the portrait was for some time (Fea 1802, 35). According to the Vatican information sign, the portrait is idealised and was produced during the reign of his successor Hadrian.

Inv. nr. 1931. Amelung II.1, p. 63 nr. 21, Taf. 5. SO V, nr. 80. Bignamini 2003, fig. 10. Photos: Wikimedia, Carole Raddato and Amelung. Vatican info.