Vitellius, Roman Emperor (15-69 AD)
after Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1600 - 1699
Materials
Oil on panel
Measurements
653 x 512 mm
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 515498
Summary
Oil painting on panel, Vitellius, Roman Emperor (15-69 AD), after Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630), 17th century. Equestrian figure against classical background: portrait of Vitellius, facing right, in profile, seated on prancing horse which is richly caparisoned with black and gold armour formed in strips and with head armour with a pointed horn on its brow; Vitellius with a staff in his right hand is dressed in a black scaly cuirass and a belt with hanging leather strips topped with masks, a black cloak with scarlet braid; a black helmet surmounted with a gold crown and a scarlet scarf tied in a bow with flowing ends; a ruined classical building on the right, and a tower in the distance. Erroneous label on frame 'Emperor Nero. Reigned AD51-AD68'. The correct identification was recognised by Mary Beard.
Provenance
Bequeathed to the National Trust by Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) with the house and the rest of the contents.
Credit line
Anglesey Abbey, The Fairhaven Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
after Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630), artist