Roman Statues

Roman Sculptures Provide Templates for Casting Ancient Statues in Bronze

Most of the life-size bronze replicas of ancient statues offered in our online shop are based on Roman sculptures made of marble. These can be roughly divided into two groups. On the one hand, there are independent Roman sculptures, such as statues of Roman emperors, and on the other hand, there are marble reproductions of original ancient Greek bronze sculptures. In the latter case, we only know from written sources that Greek bronze statues served as models for the Roman marble copies, as none of the Greek bronzes have survived. Of the nine Greek bronzes that have actually survived, there are no Roman marble copies, but again, in some cases, there are written records. Who are the writers to whom we owe these important pieces of information for the production of life-size bronze replicas? Here is an overview:

Ancient Writers Reporting on and Describing Ancient Sculptures

Pausanias is indeed one of the most important sources for the description of ancient Greek and Roman statues and sculptures. His work “Periegesis tes Hellados” or “Description of Greece” is an extensive travelogue that mentions many such artworks. Here are some other authors and sources that provide information about ancient statues and sculptures:

Pliny the Elder: His work “Naturalis Historia” contains numerous descriptions of ancient artworks, although some sections have been lost.

Lucian of Samosata: A satirical writer who often mentions and parodies ancient artworks in his works.

Strabo: His Geography contains descriptions of statues and artworks, especially those he saw during his travels.

Quintilian: A Roman rhetorician who occasionally mentions ancient artworks in his “Institutio Oratoria,” particularly in relation to rhetoric and art theory.

Suetonius: In his biographies of the Roman emperors, he often mentions statues and monuments commissioned by the rulers.

Athenaeus: In his work “Deipnosophistae,” he often mentions artworks and their significance in Greek society.

Appian: A historian who often reports on statues and monuments associated with historical events in his works.

Aelian: A Greek rhetorician who also provides descriptions of ancient artworks in his collection of anecdotes “Varia Historia.”

Diodorus Siculus: His “Bibliotheca Historica” contains many descriptions of ancient artworks and statues mentioned during his travels and in his historical narratives.

These authors and their works offer a wealth of information about ancient statues and sculptures, including those that may no longer exist.

Use this knowledge and purchase a life-size bronze casting of an ancient Roman statue from us. We faithfully reproduce the replica statue according to the specifications of the Roman sculptures.