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Portrait bust of the Emperor Septimius Severus (AD 193-211): GR.2.2016

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Titles

Portrait bust of the Emperor Septimius Severus (AD 193-211)

Entities

Categories

Description

Roman marble portrait bust of the Emperor Septimius Severus c. 193-211 AD. Over-life sized, finely sculpted, his head truned to his right, on long neck, his brows slightly knitted, with articulated eyes gazing upwards, with sclerae delineated, his characteristic forked beard with heavy drill work, with similar heavy drill work to his luxurious curling hair, falling in four ringlets over his forehead, with heavy moustache and only small lower lip visible below, his beard growing high to just under his wide cheekbones, wearing a cuirass over a tunic and a leather garment with tasselled straps over his shoulder, the whole covered with a heavy paludamentum, carved with heavy folds around his neck and chest, vertical folds over his left shoulder and fastened on his right shoulder with a circular rosette brooch with central button.

Notes

History note: Cardinal Alessandro Albani (1692-1779); Lieutenant-General Charles Churchill (1679-1745), acquired from the Cardinal on a visit to Rome in July 1731. Gifted to Sir Robert Walpole, later first Earl of Oxford (1676-1745) for the terms and consoles of the Stone Hall at Houghton, and by descent to David, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.

Legal notes

Accepted in lieu of Inheritance tax from Lord Cholomondeley by H.M. Governement and allocated to The Fitzwilliam Museum.

Measurements and weight

Width: 27 in

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Allocated (2016) by H.M. Government

Dating

2nd Century, Late
3rd Century, Early
193 CE - 211 CE

Components of the work

Excluding Socle Height 26.5 in
Including Socle Height 32 in

Materials used in production

Marble

Techniques used in production

Drilling
Carving

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: GR.2.2016
Primary reference Number: 209387

Audit data

Created: Thursday 4 August 2016 Updated: Wednesday 15 October 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Antiquities

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Portrait bust of the Emperor Septimius Severus (AD 193-211)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/209387 Accessed: 2025-12-07 11:25:25

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/209387 |title=Portrait bust of the Emperor Septimius Severus (AD 193-211) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-07 11:25:25|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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