Agrippa Iulius Caesar, the repudiated heir. A new portrait of Agrippa Postumus, adopted son of Augustus

The exhibition Agrippa Iulius Caesar, the repudiated heir. A new portrait of Agrippa Postumus, adopted son of Augustus opens to the public in the Hall of Tapestries of the Capitoline Museums in Rome, on the occasion of which the portrait of Agrippa Postumus by the Sorgente Group Foundation is presented to the public for the first time. The sculpture is ideally connected with two other portraits of Agrippa present in the exhibition: one from the Uffizi Galleries in Florence and another from the Capitoline Collections.

The exhibition therefore brings together for the first time these three marble masterpieces, which tell the story of the unfortunate heir of Augustus, Agrippa Postumus, last son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia, Augustus' only daughter, designated for the imperial succession and victim of power struggles.

The three sculptures on display represent the best preserved replicas of a type of portrait attributed to Agrippa Postumus. The portraits can be dated between the adoption of 4 AD and the condemnation of 7 AD, in the period in which Agrippa received honors and statuary dedications in Rome and in all the territories subject to the empire. The name "Agrippa" was chosen by Augustus himself, as he was born shortly after the death of his father, hence the cognomen (surname) Postumus. At the time of adoption, the young man changed his name to Agrippa Iulius Caesar, since he had become part of Augustus' family, the Iulia, and had thus become one of the designated heirs (Caesar) to the succession together with Tiberius. However, only three years later, he was repudiated and exiled first to Sorrento and subsequently to the island of Pianosa, where he lived until his mysterious death, which occurred shortly after Tiberius' accession to the throne. Ancient sources, including Tacitus and Suetonius, attribute the exclusion of Agrippa Postumus to a difficult character, but recent historical and archaeological analyzes suggest that power struggles within the Augustan court, influenced by Livia Drusilla, mother of Tiberius, played a decisive role for his falling in disgrace.

The marked physiognomic features of the three sculptures on display have unmistakably common characteristics - the frowning forehead, the narrow and deep-set eyes, the small tight mouth, marked by bulges at the sides, and the grim gaze give the young prince a serious and concentrated expression, made even more incisive by the twist of the head, together with an aura of introspection and gravitas, all elements that embody the symbolic construction of the imperial heir. The portraits in fact, represent an important example of how the public image was constructed to respond to specific political and dynastic needs. The artistic language of the time, characterized by an idealized realism, is reflected in the physiognomic features of Agrippa Postumus, which convey authority and determination.

The exhibition, curated by Laura Buccino, Eugenio La Rocca and Valentina Nicolucci, is promoted by Roma Capitale, Department of Culture, Capitoline Superintendence of Cultural Heritage with the organization of Fondazione Sorgente Group and the support of Gruppo Sorgente e Condotte 1880. Museum services Zètema Culture Project.

Photo credits: courtesy of the Capitoline Museums official site