bronze head of Antinoos beloved of the Emperor Hadrian

Antinous is celebrated as the classical ideal of youth and beauty. His physical features are distinctly athletic yet softly contoured. He possessed a strong, rounded jawline, full, sensuous lips, and a slightly downcast look that gave him a expression of melancholy. His profile was marked by a straight nose and a low, broad forehead. Framing his face was his most defining characteristic: a thick, voluminous mass of deeply carved, luxurious, tumbling curls, falling low over his brow and neck.

Born in Bithynia in 110 CE, Antinoos, also Antinous, was the favourite and lover of the Emperor Hadrian. He drowned in the Nile before his 20th birthday, in mysterious circumstances.

He was then deified by Hadrian, and was worshipped in both the Greek East and in the Roman West - sometimes as a god, sometimes merely as a hero. The worship of Antinoos proved to be one of the most popular cults of deified human beings in the Roman empire.

Images of the beautiful youth abound on coinage, in portraiture and in sculpture from the 2nd century CE onwards. Antinoos became a symbol of male homosexuality in western culture, appearing in the works of Oscar Wilde among others.

Hephaistos would be amazed by the craftsmanship and quality of this wonderful collection!

These superb bronze pieces are cast in Greece using the traditional lost wax method. As nothing is mass-produced, there will inevitably be slight variations in texture, patina, and colour. No two pieces are ever the same. If mounted, the base is of black marble.

Please note that there may be a variation of some millimetres in the dimensions of the base from time to time, and that accessories such as spears, tridents or javelins may vary in length or height! If you need precise dimensions and weight, email me!

If you need a piece to fit a very specific space, or if you want me to take a photo of a couple of pieces so you can pick the one you want, I will do so with pleasure.

Every piece is deliciously tactile.

It's All Greek is so grateful and so proud to have been working closely with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege and a joy to handle, live with, to photograph and describe these gorgeous pieces, before passing them on to passionate and grateful customers all over the world.

If you already own one of these pieces, cherish it!