The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius on the Capitol
Medium
Engraving; first state
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 14 3/16 × 9 1/2 in. (36.1 × 24.2 cm) Mount: 18 9/16 × 13 3/4 in. (47.1 × 35 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953
Accession Number
53.600.855
Tags
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, where we encounter *The Equestrian Statue of Marcuslius on the Capitol* (1548), an exquisite engraving by Nicolas Beatrizet. This first-state impression captures the iconic bronze statue of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aureliusr. 161–180 CE), the Stoic philosopher-king, as it stood prominently on Rome's Capitoline Hill during the Renaissance. Created amid a fervent revival of classical antiquity, the print preserves the statue's majestic profile—emperor poised confidently astride his rearing horse—before it was relocated i...