''Hadrian and Sabina as

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...

and

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...

'' is a tall marble statue of 120–140 AD (with restorations of c. 170–175). The male figure originally represented the emperor

Hadrian Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania ...

, but its head has later been restored to that of

Lucius Verus Lucius Aurelius Verus (15 December 130 – January/February 169) was Roman emperor from 161 until his death in 169, alongside his adoptive brother Marcus Aurelius. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty. Verus' succession together wit ...

. Shown in the guise of

, this makes Hadrian one of the first emperors to be portrayed as a god during his lifetime rather than be posthumously apotheosized. The female figure, in the pose of the Capuan Venus, arms him. The present female head, changed in antiquity, does not belong to the body and portrays Lucilla (

's wife) - the original head was probably that of

Vibia Sabina Vibia Sabina (13 August 83–136/137) was a Roman Empress, wife and second cousin once removed to the Roman Emperor Hadrian. She was the daughter of Matidia (niece of Roman Emperor Trajan) and suffect consul Lucius Vibius Sabinus. Early li ...

, Hadrian's wife. The group reflects the hellenizing taste of the Hadrianic era and the revival of the neo-classical or

Neo-Attic Neo-Attic or Atticizing is a sculptural style, beginning in Hellenistic sculpture and vase-painting of the 2nd century BC and climaxing in Roman art of the 2nd century AD, copying, adapting or closely following the style shown in reliefs and stat ...

style.

Sources

Louvre collections database
{{Louvre Museum 2nd-century Roman sculptures Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures of the Louvre Cultural depictions of Hadrian Lucius Verus Mars (mythology) in art Sculptures of men in France Sculptures of Roman gods Sculptures of Venus Sculptures of women in France