THE BUST OF COMMODUS

1
THE BUST OF COMMODUS
2
WHO WAS COMMODUS?

• Commodus was the son of Marcus Aurelius.
• a brutal emperor for 12 years (180 AD 192 AD) .
• he was assassinated (strangled) at the age of 31.
  
• an interesting character of questionable sanity.
  
• Wheeler calls him a sadistic pervert.
• he was a decadent, self-indulgent, deranged
  megalomaniac.
• had a fondness for gladiatorial games often
  taking part in the animal hunts (dressed as
  Hercules).
• his blatant self-heroization here in this piece
  is quite extraordinary.

3
THE PIECE IN A NUTSHELL

• He wears a lion skin.
• Commodus is shown with a beard and moustache.
• He holds a knotted club in his right hand.
• In his left hand he holds three apples.
• Two cornucopiae full of fruit hold up the bust.
• Between the cornucopiae is an Amazon shield which
  is decorated with Medusas head.
• There is a sphere with a band across the middle
  of it with three Zodiac signs. It is it also has
  four rosettes.
• An Amazonian warrior kneels on either side of a
  sphere.

4
Commodus saw himself asa bit of a Hercules

• He was often portrayed on coins and in
  inscriptions as the hero. Hercules worship was
  popular in Rome.
• The comparison with Hercules in this
• bust is obvious
• The club was a weapon of choice for the hero.
• The apples allude to Hercules immortality which
  Commodus regarded as his due after subduing the
  enemies of Rome.
• The lion skin represents power and strength.
• The Amazon warrior relates to the fact that
  Commodus had also defeated the Sarmatians who
  lived in the same are as the Amazonians had.

5
Hercules labours represented here are

• First labour
• The killing of the Nemean lion from whose
  (impenetrable) skin he made a cloak.

6

• Ninth labour
• Obtaining the girdle of the Amazon queen
  Hippolyta the subsequent defeat of the Amazons.

7

• Eleventh labour
• The theft of the golden apples from a tree at the
  worlds end, guarded by a dragon (Ladon) which he
  slew.

8
BUT WAITWHAT ABOUT THE FEATURES OF THE SET
PIECE
9

• Hair - deeply drilled beard and hair creates
  shadows
• - rhythmical waves in hair, - full beard gives
  sense of imperial majesty, - contrast
  between deeply modelled hair and smooth texture
  of face.
• Eyes - are not painted but have rings incised
  into the iris,
• - heavy upper eye lids droop over the iris,
• - eyes are upturned and gaze to one side (our
  left).
• Mouth - short but full lower lip with a
  moustache above the lip, - the mouth
  is turned down.

10
WHAT STYLE IS THIS IN?
WHAT STYLE IS THIS IN?

• Antonine Baroque style
• smooth highly polished skin which gives a
  youthful appearance,
• deeply drilled luxurious hair,
• contrasts of light dark areas, powerful
  musculature polished head.
• Commodus was the last of the Antonine's.

11
SO WHAT IS COMMODUS TRYING TO SAY ?

• The larger than life bust conveys the message
  that Commodus is
• the saviour of mankind,
• worthy of portrayal as Hercules,
• a heroic/divine figure,
• a doer of great deeds.

12

• So there you are.
• But the questions remains
• was he mad as a
• hatter or just a
• looney?