Nerone Nero Caesar

Il riconoscimento di un ritratto di Nerone in una collezione inglese, ha dato l’avvio a una serie di indagini conoscitive e a interventi di restauro. Si presentano i risultati ripercorrendo gli episodi salienti del regno di Nerone, quinto imperatore della dinastia Giulio Claudia, rivissuti attraverso le immagini. Il ritratto mostra un Nerone degli ultimi anni della sua vita e si confronta con l’iconografia su monete e sculture.

The identification of a portrait of Nero in an English collection has launched a series of investigations and restoration works. Here are the results that retrace, through images, the salient episodes of the ruling of Nero, fifth emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The portrait shows Nero in the last years of his life, as confirmed by the comparison with the iconography of coins and sculptures.

Marina Mattei is an archaeologist born and bred in Rome, former curator of the Musei Capitolini, responsible for the Ancient Sculpture Museum Giovanni Barracco. She teaches Cultural Heritage and is Scientific Consultant for the excavations in Largo Argentina in Rome. She is the author of numerous archaeological, historical, and artistic studies, research, and publications. She has directed numerous restoration projects and has curated the investigation and preservation of Palazzo Nuovo and of the Capitoline collections.