Antinous Standing

Antinous statue, after the Capitoline.

A Grand Tour statue of the naked figure of Antinous, favorite of emperor Hadrian.

With an intelligence as dazzling as his beauty, Antinous captured the hearts and minds of everyone, especially the Roman emperor Hadrian, 127 AD.

Antinous and Hadrian had an intense affair, which came to a premature end with the death of Antinous, aged 20.

His death has been debated for 1800 years. History records that Hadrian explained the drowning of Antinous in one short sentence `He fell into the Nile`.

Antinous through the ages has come to stand for many things such as healer, protector, victim, lover and God. 

Whether his death was murder, suicide, accident or voluntary religious sacrifice, Emperor Hadrian in his grief made Antinous the last god of the Roman Pantheon, and ensured that his gorgeous and idolized face came down through the ages by minting coins with his head on them and with many sculptures made in his honour. Temples were also built for his worship, now as `Antinous god of wine`.