Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Roman Antiquities and their Traces at the British Museum

Bust from Alexandria
Zeus Serapis
1st century BC
bronze
British Museum

Bust excavated in Rome
Hercules
2nd century BC
marble
British Museum

When the Emperor Hadrian lay dying in AD 138 he supposedly uttered a short poem. It appears below in several different English translations, extending over several centuries.

John Skippe
Two Herms
ca. 1781-83
chiaroscuro woodcut
British Museum

John Skippe
Two Herms
ca. 1781-83
chiaroscuro woodcut
British Museum

My little wandring sportful Soule,
Ghest, and companion of my body

– John Donne, 1611

Jacopo Tintoretto
Bust of Vitellius
mid-16th century
drawing
British Museum

Jacopo Tintoretto
Bust of Vitellius
mid 16th century
drawing
British Museum

My soul, my pleasant soul and witty,
The guest and consort of my body,
Into what place now all alone
Naked and sad wilt thou be gone?
No mirth, no wit, as heretofore,
Nor Jests wilt thou afford me more. 

 Henry Vaughan, 1652

Sir Thomas Reeves
Dancing Faun
ca. 1744-88
etching
British Museum

Sir Thomas Reeves
Dying Gladiator
ca. 1744-88
etching
British Museum

Poor little, pretty, fluttering thing,
Must we no longer live together?
And dost thou prune thy trembling Wing,
To take thy Flight thou know'st not whither?

Thy humorous Vein, thy pleasing Folly
Lyes all neglected, all forgot;
And pensive, wav'ring, melancholy,
Thou dread'st and hop'st thou know'st not what.

 Matthew Prior, 1709

Giulio Bonasone
Bust of Athena
ca. 1531-76
engraving
British Museum

Giulioi Bonasone
Antique Bust of Jupiter
ca. 1531-76
engraving
British Museum

Nicolas Beatrizet
Antique Bust of Titus Livy
1572
engraving
British Museum

Ah! gentle, fleeting, wav'ring sprite,
Friend and associate of this clay!
     To what unknown region borne,
Wilt thou, now, wing thy distant flight?
No more, with wonted humor gay,
     But pallid, cheerless, and forlorn.

 George Gordon, Lord Byron, 1806

Marcantonio after Raphael
Apollo in niche
ca. 1512-15
engraving
British Museum

circle of Michelangelo
Studies of an antique statue
16th century
drawing
British Museum

Little soul so sleek and smiling
Flesh's guest and friend also
Where departing will you wander
Growing paler now and languid
And not joking as you used to?

 Stevie Smith, 1966

Giuseppe Maria Mitelli
Man Destroying Statue
17th century
drawing
Morgan Library, New York

Giuseppe Maria Mitelli
Man destroying statue
ca. 1678-80
engraving
British Museum

"Easy to destroy a statue, but not to make one."