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MARC'AURELIO -- Campidoglio --
Bronze. Height: 4.24 m.
The history of the statue of MARC'AURELIO can be trced back to the tenth century, or even much earlier.
...
Alas, the rather vague literary sources on which such assumptions have to be based could also be referring to OTHER equestrian statues then in existence (vide FEA in Winckelman (ed. Fea) III, pp. 410-16).
In 1187, however, PAOLO SCOLARI (Papa CLEMENTE III) when aggrandizing the PALAZZO LATERANO 'also caused a bronze horse to be made' -- a clearly inaccurate statement which must, however, refer to the installation of the MARC'AURELIO (which was perhaps already in the neighbourhood) (vide Fea, op. cit., p. 412).
From this date onward we are very fully informed that MARC'AURELIO was indeed in front of the PALAZZO LATERANO (vide Rushworth, pp. 21-3; Scherer, pp. 133-5).
Like the other antique statuary in the area MARC'AURELIO was probably supported on columns and what are likely to be the remains of these may be seen in a drawing by HEEMSKERK who was in ROMA in 1532.
In 1466 Pietro Barbo (Papa PAOLO II) had MARC'AURELIO restored.
In 1474 Francesco della Rovere (Papa Sisto IV) arranged for MARC'AURELIO to be placed on a marble base.
In 1538, Alessandro FARNESE (Papa Paolo III) put into effect his plan of the previous year and had MARC'AURELIO transferred to the CAMPIDOGLIO.
By 1539, Buonarroti (who used MARC'AURELIO as the focal point around which he planned the whole piazza) designed for it a new base.
Legends abound.
It was said that it represented a warrior who had saved Rome, and had been rewarded with the equestrian statue which he had asked for. The statue, legend went, showed the warrior with his arm outstretched to seize the king of Rome, while a cuckoo sat on the horse's head (This was a misinterpretation of the foretop of the horse's mane).
The cuckoo's cry, the legend went on, had signaled the whereabouts of the king of Rome, while the king himself, reduced to the size of a dwarf and his hands tied behind his back, lay underfoot (as no doubt had some bound barbarian captive when the statue was in its original state).
It was the humanist BARTOLOMEO PLATINA, librarian to Sisto IV, who is credited with having been the first to suggest MARC'AURELIO.
It was not until 1601 that this became universally accepted.
FILARETE made a bronze replica which he dedicated to Piero de' Medici in 1465 -- before the statue had become famous.
ANTICO made another bronze replica in 1496.
Buonarroti actually thought that the statue looked better in the PALAZZO LATERANO, and objected, without success, to its being moved to the CAMPIDOGLIO.
A copy was made by the king of France, FRANCESCO I, and sent to FONTAINEBLEU.
Another copy was the chief feature of LEONE LEONI's palazzo in MILANO.
In Perreault's time, another copy stood in Paris, in the Palais Royal.
Yet another copy was made for the Earl of Pembroke for his Wilton villa.
A story was repeated of Buonarroti, of Pietro da Cortona, of Bernini and of Carlo Maratta.
Each one of them was supposed to have addressed MARC'AURELIO with the words:
"Move on, then; don't you know that you are alive?"
----
In 1671, Colbert's son found it "one of the most beautiful statues in Rome".
Addison thought it was one of the "finest figures perhaps that are now extant."
Caylus noted that it was "magnificent -- it gives me infinite pleasure."
It was the PACIFYING gesture of MARC'AURELIO which had struck ANDREA FULVIO when he wrote about the statue in 1527.
Not everyone agreed.
Baron Bunsen was to amuse his children by claiming that what MARC'AURELIO was saying was:
"Quiet everybody -- Rome belongs to me!"
"Zitto tutti -- Roma è mia").
Vasari first pointed out the great importanc of the MARC'AURELIO for Andrea Verrocchio.
The MARC'AURELIO is catalogued in Helbig as being Roman work contemporary with the Emperor himself (A. D. 161-80).
Bronze. Height: 4.24 m.
The history of the statue of MARC'AURELIO can be trced back to the tenth century, or even much earlier.
...
Alas, the rather vague literary sources on which such assumptions have to be based could also be referring to OTHER equestrian statues then in existence (vide FEA in Winckelman (ed. Fea) III, pp. 410-16).
In 1187, however, PAOLO SCOLARI (Papa CLEMENTE III) when aggrandizing the PALAZZO LATERANO 'also caused a bronze horse to be made' -- a clearly inaccurate statement which must, however, refer to the installation of the MARC'AURELIO (which was perhaps already in the neighbourhood) (vide Fea, op. cit., p. 412).
From this date onward we are very fully informed that MARC'AURELIO was indeed in front of the PALAZZO LATERANO (vide Rushworth, pp. 21-3; Scherer, pp. 133-5).
Like the other antique statuary in the area MARC'AURELIO was probably supported on columns and what are likely to be the remains of these may be seen in a drawing by HEEMSKERK who was in ROMA in 1532.
In 1466 Pietro Barbo (Papa PAOLO II) had MARC'AURELIO restored.
In 1474 Francesco della Rovere (Papa Sisto IV) arranged for MARC'AURELIO to be placed on a marble base.
In 1538, Alessandro FARNESE (Papa Paolo III) put into effect his plan of the previous year and had MARC'AURELIO transferred to the CAMPIDOGLIO.
By 1539, Buonarroti (who used MARC'AURELIO as the focal point around which he planned the whole piazza) designed for it a new base.
Legends abound.
It was said that it represented a warrior who had saved Rome, and had been rewarded with the equestrian statue which he had asked for. The statue, legend went, showed the warrior with his arm outstretched to seize the king of Rome, while a cuckoo sat on the horse's head (This was a misinterpretation of the foretop of the horse's mane).
The cuckoo's cry, the legend went on, had signaled the whereabouts of the king of Rome, while the king himself, reduced to the size of a dwarf and his hands tied behind his back, lay underfoot (as no doubt had some bound barbarian captive when the statue was in its original state).
It was the humanist BARTOLOMEO PLATINA, librarian to Sisto IV, who is credited with having been the first to suggest MARC'AURELIO.
It was not until 1601 that this became universally accepted.
FILARETE made a bronze replica which he dedicated to Piero de' Medici in 1465 -- before the statue had become famous.
ANTICO made another bronze replica in 1496.
Buonarroti actually thought that the statue looked better in the PALAZZO LATERANO, and objected, without success, to its being moved to the CAMPIDOGLIO.
A copy was made by the king of France, FRANCESCO I, and sent to FONTAINEBLEU.
Another copy was the chief feature of LEONE LEONI's palazzo in MILANO.
In Perreault's time, another copy stood in Paris, in the Palais Royal.
Yet another copy was made for the Earl of Pembroke for his Wilton villa.
A story was repeated of Buonarroti, of Pietro da Cortona, of Bernini and of Carlo Maratta.
Each one of them was supposed to have addressed MARC'AURELIO with the words:
"Move on, then; don't you know that you are alive?"
----
In 1671, Colbert's son found it "one of the most beautiful statues in Rome".
Addison thought it was one of the "finest figures perhaps that are now extant."
Caylus noted that it was "magnificent -- it gives me infinite pleasure."
It was the PACIFYING gesture of MARC'AURELIO which had struck ANDREA FULVIO when he wrote about the statue in 1527.
Not everyone agreed.
Baron Bunsen was to amuse his children by claiming that what MARC'AURELIO was saying was:
"Quiet everybody -- Rome belongs to me!"
"Zitto tutti -- Roma è mia").
Vasari first pointed out the great importanc of the MARC'AURELIO for Andrea Verrocchio.
The MARC'AURELIO is catalogued in Helbig as being Roman work contemporary with the Emperor himself (A. D. 161-80).
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