ROME, May 1. / Corr. TASS Vera Shcherbakova /. The brush of the Roman emperor Constantine (272-337) from a bronze statue was restored 500 years later and was first exhibited in the Capitoline Museums of Rome. As the director of the complex of archaeological museums and historical and exhibition heritage Claudio Parisi Presicce told TASS on Saturday, such an operation became possible thanks to the Louvre's provision of the phalanx of the index finger, which was stored there.
“The agreement concluded with the Louvre stipulates that the finger will be handed over to us for five years, this period may be extended. It is possible that the artifact will remain in Rome for many years. This is a huge gift,” the agency's source said. Confirmation that the bronze phalanx from the Louvre collection belongs to the hand of the statue of Constantine was obtained in 2018, when Presicce took charge of the research work. Scientists have resorted to the possibilities of new technologies and created a three-dimensional copy of a finger in Rome without taking it out of Paris. “Attaching a finger is not a simple symbolic fact,” says the specialist. “The restoration of the hand allowed us to take a fresh look at the emperor's hand and gesture. With the attached finger, we understand better how the sphere held in his hand was not clamped. but kept as if on a support. And this is important for understanding the aesthetic side and abilities of the ancient masters, “- said Presicce.
He clarified that the finger is attached in such a way that it can be detached again without harming the fragments. “Nothing has been changed in individual parts, and the connection is almost invisible. The fasteners are inside the finger. This allows you to 'disassemble' the hand again,” Presicce said. He explained that according to this principle, any reunification of elements of antique works is carried out. Modern archeology suggests that any interference should be imperceptible and not violate the original (in what state it was discovered). The possibility of returning to the original form must also be preserved.
The finger was first attached to the rest of the hand in France for an exhibition in 2019 when the brush was shipped from Rome. “Perhaps it was that exchange that prompted the decision of the director of the Louvre Jean-Luc Martinez to unite his hand with his finger again, but this time in Rome and for a long time,” Presicce added.
It is noteworthy that before the Romans, the restored hand and finger could be seen not only in Paris, but also in St. Petersburg. The Louvre exhibition “A Dream of Italy. Collection of the Marquis of Campana” is the result of cooperation with the Hermitage. The renowned Russian museum contains exhibits from the collection of the Marquis Giovanni Pietro Campana (1809-1880), one of the most prominent collectors of 19th century antique art.
Scattered collection
The first mentions of fragments of a bronze imperial statue date back to the 12th century. Because of their size, it was long believed that they were parts of the “colossus” of the Sun, erected by the emperor Nero (37-68) in his honor. Later, in front of the statue, on the site of a dried lake, the Colosseum was built, whose name is believed to derive precisely from the “colossus” due to its impressive size. The head that has survived to this day, as well as a hand with a sphere, have been repeatedly described in medieval chronicles. It is known that they were transferred to the Capitol Hill in 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV (1414-1484) granted part of the papal collection to the Roman people. From that moment on, the Capitoline Museums begin their history, which is exactly 550 years old.
The latest information indicating the integrity of the brush has been preserved in documents from the first half of the 16th century. Subsequent graphic sketches depict the brush without the index finger. The researchers believe that the artifact hit the antiques market of that time.
Nothing was known about the valuable fragment until the middle of the 19th century, when it appeared in the collection of the Marquis of Campana. In addition to buying art objects, Campana conducted a number of archaeological excavations in Rome, as well as in former Etruscan centers, which allowed him to significantly enrich his collection, which included up to 12 thousand exhibits of historical and museum value. In 1857, Giovanni Pietro Campana, who headed one of the financial institutions of the Papal States, was accused of embezzlement. His collection was confiscated and sold. Part of the Campana collection was acquired by Emperor Alexander II for the Hermitage. But a significant part of the collection was sold to Napoleon III and in 1863 transferred to the Louvre, where the bronze phalanx ended up. In France, for a long time, they did not suspect that it belonged to the brush from the Capitol.
In Rome, elements of another giant statue of Emperor Constantine have survived, but made of marble. They are on display in the courtyard of the Capitoline Museums. Modern visitors see the similarities between the emperor captured in bronze and marble and the American actor Sylvester Stallone.
To the museum in a mask
On April 26, museums opened almost throughout Italy after the quarantine, which was in effect due to the pandemic. The work of cultural institutions is now possible on weekends (previously they were closed on weekends) with pre-ordered tickets. As a TASS correspondent was told in the Capitoline Museums, all tickets for Sunday are sold out. A visit is possible subject to strict preventive measures: a mask regime is required, signs indicating the maximum number of visitors are installed everywhere in the halls. The temperature is measured in front of the entrance.
