The Death of Antinous

The Death of Antinous is a fine art portrait created by Australian artist Troy Schooneman inspired by numerous marble busts of the Emperor Hadrian and the stories of how he mourned his beloved Antinous following the youth’s unexpected death. Below is a brief overview on Hadrian and Antinous from the British Museum: “The Emperor Hadrian married in AD 100, but little is known about the life of his wife and empress, Vibia Sabina. However, ancient sources clearly show that Hadrian formed an intimate relationship with a young Greek male named Antinous. Homosexual relationships were not considered unusual in ancient Rome, but the intensity with which Hadrian mourned Antinous’ premature death was...View all