Icone di potere e bellezza

The exhibition, curated by Daniele Federico Maras and Barbara Arbeid, presents 20 ancient objects of great symbolic value from the Medici collections, grouped around four life-size gilded bronze heads: three imperial portraits from the Santa Giulia Museum in Brescia and a head of Venus from the ancient grand ducal collections.

In particular, visitors can admire medallions and coins (aurei, sestertii, denarii, asses) that conveyed the imperial portrait as a symbol and guarantee of the continuity of power, as well as gems, rings and gold necklaces, intended for “private” use but no less rich in symbolic meaning, and a splendid life-size eagle’s head, symbol of Jupiter’s majesty.

The exhibition analyses the period between the end of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, when the succession crisis highlighted the need to rethink imperial communication. Septimius Severus ushered in a period of apparent dynastic stability, supported by the emperor’s power and political and military skills, recognised as the new founder of the Empire.

The three heads from Brescia help to define the aesthetics of power: the emperor, often depicted as a mature and powerful thinker, communicated confidence and stability through his hairstyle and beard, distinctive elements compared to his predecessors.

In the mid-third century AD, imperial iconography revived Augustan symbols to convey strength and firmness. The “Illyrian emperors”, such as Probus and Claudius Gothicus, displayed a haughty gaze and marked features, embodying a model of essential but refined masculine beauty.

Female figures also contributed to the image of the imperial house: Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus, was portrayed with delicate features and an elaborate hairstyle that became a symbol of authority and a model for subsequent fashion.

The exhibition also displays other symbols of the plural nature of Roman power: religious insignia, signs of pietas and divine protection, references to military stability, prosperity, personal charisma and the role of the arts.

The exhibition is part of a virtuous collaboration between the Brescia Museums Foundation and the National Archaeological Museum of Florence, under the auspices of the Directorate-General for Museums of the Ministry of Culture, entitled Idoli di bronzo (Bronze Idols).

The Florentine event is a continuation of the exhibition currently running until 21 June 2026 at the Capitolium, in the Archaeological Park of Roman Brescia, entitled Victoria Mater. L’idolo e l’icona (Victoria Mater. The Idol and the Icon), which features a new installation by Francesco Vezzoli, creating a dialogue between the Winged Victory, one of the most important works of Roman art in terms of composition, material and conservation, and the Idolino di Pesaro, a refined example of classical artistic craftsmanship, on loan from the National Archaeological Museum of Florence.

The exhibition is included in the museum admission ticket.

Admission tickets for the National Archaeological Museum in Florence can be purchased online at Tiqets.

Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, first Sunday of the month and public holidays: 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Thursday: 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Last admission: 45 minutes before closing time.