Aion of Villa Albani
TNMM 123 ↔ CIMRM 545
White marble statue. Formerly in the Villa Albani; nowadays in the Musei Vaticani, near the entrance of the former Library.
A naked trunk in the coils of a serpent. Four signs of the zodiac, two on the breast (Aries and Libra) and one on each thigh (Cancer and Capricornius). Added are: lion’s head, two wings, the arms and legs with two coils of the serpent, and finally the globe, on which Aion is standing.
In 1761 Pope Clement XIII authorised the creation of the Profane Museum to exhibit some of the Vatican’s pagan antiquities. The space, located in the northern end of the Clementine Gallery, was inaugurated in 1767. The Aion of Mitreo Fagan, together with that of Villa Albani, have decorated the entrance to the Gallery since the 19th century, where they can still be found today.
References
Raffei Diss. 130 and Pl. III 2; K Q. Visconti Mus. Pio Clem. II Pl. XIX; Clarac Mus. Sculpt. Pl. 560 1192 and. 1192 A (before and after the restorations) and IV 26; Millin Gall. Myth. cf. 66; Zoega Abh. 203f No 5; Lajard Pl. LXXII; MMM II 214f No. 37 and figs. 43-44; RRS I 296 4; Leipoldt XVI and fig. 38; Alinari 35667. See fig. 153.
- Vermaseren, Maarten Jozef (1956) Corpus Inscriptionum et Monumentorum Religionis Mithriacae
- Musei Vaticani. Profane museum.
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