Marcus Aurelius

A dark bronze bust of a young man with tightly curled hair, his gaze lowered, his shoulders wrapped in a cloak fastened with a round clasp. The bust rests on a gilded base, shown against a plain grey background. The surface is finely modeled, with crisp curls and soft folds in the drapery.

Look closer: A small round clasp fastens the cloak at the figure's right shoulder.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 16th century

Medium

Bronze, brass base

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

3026 × 4000 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Ogden Mills, 1927