Sarcophagus with portrait of the deceased

Inv. Scu 1894

Front of a sarcophagus decorated with the portrait of the deceased within a circular shield (clipeus).
In the centre, two flying puttos hold a female portrait. Below it, on a low table, the masks of the New Comedy refer to a Dionysiac theme. Beneath the puttos are the personifications of a river (to the left, depicted as usual as a reclining male figure with thick beard) and the goddess Tellus, to the right. Two puttos leaning on down-turned torches close the composition on either side.
The aged woman, portrayed half bust, wears tunic and cloak; she is characterized by a broad forehead, arched eyebrows, large eyes with thick eyelids and high cheekbones. Her straight hair is parted in the centre and divided in the two sides framing the face and leaving the ears uncovered.
The sarcophagus dates to the mid-3rd century AD.

The sarcophagus was one of the eight decorating the wall of the steps leading to the church of S. Maria in Aracoeli and was moved to the Capitoline Museum in 1812.