AFTER THE ANTIQUE, ENGLISH OR ITALIAN, FIRST HALF 19TH CENTURY

The original stone sculpture was discovered at Monte Cagnuolo, near the ancient Lanuvium, the site of an imperial villa of Antoninus Pius. Henry Jennings saw it in a pile of rubble in Bartolomeo Cavaceppi's workshop in Rome between 1753 and 1756, bought it from him for 400 scudi, and took it back to Britain. The sculpture became famous on its arrival in Britain, with replicas that were thought to make 'a most noble appearance in a gentleman's hall', in Dr Johnson's words.