Bust of Antinous du Capitole at The Réunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris

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The Capitoline 'Antinous' is a magnificent marble statue of a young nude male discovered at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli during the initial excavations undertaken by Conte Giuseppe Fede. It was acquired before 1733 by Alessandro Cardinal Albani, who considered it the main attraction of his collection. Pope Clement XII purchased the statue in 1733 and later integrated it into the Capitoline Museums in Rome, where it remains on display to this day. The restored left leg and arm, complete with an intriguing rhetorical hand gesture, were provided by Pietro Bracci. In the 18th century, the Capitoline 'Antinous' was regarded as one of the most exquisite Roman copies of a Greek statue in existence. Initially, it was believed to represent Hadrian's lover Antinous due to its fleshy face and physique, along with a downturned expression. The statue was part of the artistic spoils taken to Paris under the Treaty of Tolentino in 1797 and remained there until 1815, when it was returned to Rome following Napoleon's downfall. Its classification has undergone significant changes over time, primarily due to its distinct hair style, which diverges from more well-documented Antinous types that closely adhere to a limited number of iconographic models. As a result, the Capitoline 'Antinous' is now considered a Roman Imperial era copy of an early 4th century BC Greek statue of Hermes. This shift in identification was already underway before 1900, when Augustus Hare observed in his book "Walks in Rome" that: This remarkable object is part of "Scan The World", a groundbreaking initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, and if you have intriguing items nearby and would like to contribute, please email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate in this worthy endeavor.