Artist:Circle of Giovanni Battista Della Porta (Vico Equense, Naples 1535 – Naples 1615) and Guglielmo Della Porta (Porlezza, Como 1515 circa – Rome 1577)
Date:late 17th century
Geographic area :Rome
Technique:white, black, and Breccia Pernice marble
These busts were carved out of different types of colored marble, all rare and of very high quality. These are two works in the late 16th century Roman style of the Della Portas. Exquisitely carved, their classic character has something of a baroque strength. One of the busts certainly depicts a mature Emperor Hadrian, while the other, in profile, is harder to identify. It might be Elio Vero, or even a younger version of the same Hadrian.