This portrait is one of many depictions of boys from the family of the Roman Emperor Octavian Augustus. Having no sons, Augustus adopted Gaius (20 BC - 4 AD) and Lucius (17 BC - 2 AD), sons of his daughter Julia from her marriage to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. Both died young and were deified after their deaths. Many depictions of them have survived. It is not possible to provide any more definite identification of the boy in this portrait, since in depictions of the heirs to the throne it was accepted practice to emphasize the family likenesses of the Julian dynasty. The portrait excellently conveys the fragility and gentleness of the child, the soft features, the calm, thoughtful expression. In the treatment of the hair, the drawing of the eyes and form of the head there is a clear likeness to Augustus himself.

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.

Scanned : Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)