In the Roman Imperial Period sculptors created works in marble after Greek models.
While capable of executing exact copies of the most famous works by the great Classical masters, they could also create new sculptures drawing on the Greek stylistic and thematic repertoire.
Roman marble statues of gods and heroes were installed in sanctuaries, theatres or baths, but they also found their way into the private sphere. In the town houses and villas of the Roman upper classes, the walls were decorated with paintings and the rooms and gardens were ornamented with statues in marble and bronze.
While most of the bronze statues were melted down in the course of time, excavation has yielded thousands of marble statues, especially in Italy. The Glyptotek houses an extensive collection of these, the best known of which are included in this volume.
