The Getty Museum in California has proudly announced its acquisition of this stunning early first-century marble bust of the Roman general Germanicus, adopted son of Tiberius and father of Caligula. It is now on display in the Getty Centre in Los Angeles, and next year will be moved to the Getty Villa Museum in the Early Roman Imperial Sculpture gallery.
The bust depicts the young Germanicus before the "depositio barbae", the Roman ritual first shaving of the beard. While the image, or portrait type, was created at the time of his adoption, this bust is a posthumous portrait of the popular general, who was being groomed to be emperor but died young.
Germanicus (15 BC–AD 19) was a successful general and immensely popular with both the military and Roman citizenry, yet he never ascended the throne due to his death at the age of 33, five years into Tiberius’ reign. The circumstances of his death have been deemed suspicious and linked to his recall of Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, the governor of Syria. Germanicus received extensive posthumous honours decreed by the senate and was venerated as Rome’s version of Alexander the Great.
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The Getty Museum has acquired an early first-century marble bust of the Roman general Germanicus, adopted son of Tiberius and father of Caligula - Getty media release.
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