Bust of Nero, Emperor of Rome (37-68 AD)
Italian (Roman) School
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
c. 1750 - 1827
Materials
Marble
Measurements
800 x 600 x 350 mm
Place of origin
Rome
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 518591.10.1
Summary
Marble, Nero, Emperor of Rome (37-68 AD), Italian (Roman) School, c. 1750-1827. A marble portrait of Nero, Roman Emperor from 54 to 68 AD (Julio-Claudian dynasty), wearing a cuirass, a paludamentum (a type of cloak worn by Roman military commanders) fastened across the chest with a balteus (a type of belt), and a laurel wreath. The bust probably carved in Rome, Italy, c. 1750-1827. Inscribed NERO on edge of truncation on the back of proper left shoulder. One of a set of twelve busts depicting the Twelve Caesars (NT 518591.1-12). Mounted on a rectangular grey marble socle inscribed NERO and on a later English tapered grey stone pedestal with rococo foliate ornamentation, c. 1801-1847 (NT 518591.10.2). For a full description see NT 518591.10.
Provenance
Probably sold in 1827 to William Lewis (died 1843) for £250; purchased in 1842 as part of the estate by Samuel Baker (died 1862); identifiable in Lypiatt Park inventory valuation of 5 March 1847, Dining Room, ‘12 Roman Emperors/sold Wm Lewis Nov 1827. £250’ (Gloucestershire Archives, D745/E2); sold in April 1847 by Samuel Baker to J.E Dorington for £240; identifiable in the ‘Inventory of Articles at Lypiatt to be taken by J.E. Dorington Esq. at the Valuation of Mr Edwd Robins on the part of Mr. Dorington – on the part of Mr Baker’, ‘Corridor’, ’12 Caesars in marble & pedestals’ (D745/E2); and thence by descent until 1914; sold in 1919 by a syndicate as part of the estate; purchased by W.J. Gwyn (died 1940); identifiable in ‘Valuation for Estate Duty’ produced by Albion Chambers, Gloucester, 1 January 1940, ‘Corridor’, ‘Twelve marble busts of Roman Emperors on stone pedestals’, ‘£30.00’ (D2299/8932); inherited by Judge Hubert Woodcock (brother-in-law of W.J. Gwyn; died 1957); sold 1951, Lypiatt Park, near Stroud [...] Catalogue of valuable furniture and effects [...] which Bruton, Knowles & Co. will sell by auction on [...] November 6th and the 3 following days and [...] November 13th and 14th, 1951’, lot 566, ‘Twelve statuary marble busts of the Twelve Caesars on coloured marble socles with sculptured stone pedestals, 7ft. 9in. high’ (Gloucestershire Archives, D8183/1); acquired at an unknown date by Bert Crowther of Syon Lodge; sold by Bert Crowther to Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966), on 9 October 1952, ‘12 Marble Busts & Carved Purbeck Pedestals from Headley Court Walton-on-the-Hill Nr. Woking as agreed’, £500; bequeathed in 1966 to the National Trust by Lord Fairhaven with the house and the rest of the contents.
Credit line
Anglesey Abbey, The Fairhaven Collection (The National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
On edge of truncation, on the back of proper left shoulder: NERO On front of socle: NERO
Makers and roles
Italian (Roman) School, sculptor