Portrait of a charioteer (inv. no. B172)

Description: The head depicts a bearded male character very similar to the group of charioteers from the small sanctuary dedicated to Hercules Cubans, located between the Porta Portuensis and the station of Trastevere. The beard makes it very similar to a head of Emperor Hadrian preserved in the Museo Nazionale Romano - Diocletian's Baths.

Typology: Portrait
Definition: Portrait of a charioteer (inv. no. B172)
Collection: Mariemont, Royal Museum.
Inventory number: B172
Provenance: Bought in Rome in 1896 by Warocqué, it was probably found a few years earlier between Porta Portese and the Church of San Pancrazio. Probably part of a group of charioteers from the roman sanctuary of Hercules Cubans.
Date: 2nd c. CE
Material: White marble.
Dimensions: Height: 26 cm.

Analytical methods: VIS; UV; MO VIS; MO UV; MAXRF
Autoptic examination: Traces of yellow and brown are still visible to the naked eye on the beard, hair, right eye and skin.
Imaging: The traces of colour visible to the naked eye appear black-brown, on a yellow preparatory layer, under UV observation. The stratigraphy is confirmed by microscopic observations.
Chemical analysis: The MA-XFR analyses has been carried out in three zones (see summary table). The signal of iron associated with manganese could indicate the use of ochres (rich in hematite) and manganese-rich pigments in order to make the shading.; See all items with this value B172_fig4

Under painting traces: Black traces around the eyes?
Pigments: Ochres (yellow), manganese-rich ochres.
Binder: n.d.
Stratigraphy: Pigments directly on marble.
Shading: Black dots on the beard.
Metallic traces: no
Tools marks: no
Background colour: no
Apparent marble parts: no
Restorations: no
Polychromy technique: On the skin of the forehead and around the eyes there is a very thin and translucent yellow-orange color, perhaps applied in a very diluted layer. The eyes show the same stratigraphy. The eyelid of the right eye and the contours are surrounded in black. The hair and beard have a bright yellow color, with strands highlighted in black and brown. The shading layer is made up of dots that let see the underlying yellow layer.

Imitation of other supports: metal
Polychromy type: The portrait should then appear in yellow and yellow-orange with black strokes to highlight the eyes, hair and beard. The palette perhaps wanted to imitate an original in polychrome bronze.