Meet the Romans. Seen in Altes Museum in Berlin

Meet the Romans (people who have lived in ancient Rome, as not all of those on photos above were native Romans). From Caesars to ordinary citizens. The busts which you can see on the photographs you can find in Berlin at the Old Museum (Altes Museum) in the Roman collection on the first floor.

The Altes Museum is one of the oldest and most significant museums in Berlin, Germany. It was built between 1823 and 1830. The museum houses a number of important collections, including the Roman Collection, which is located on the first floor. The Roman Collection is one of the most extensive collections of ancient Roman art in the world, and it includes a wide range of objects, from small figurines to large statues and architectural fragments. The Roman Collection was formed over the course of several decades, beginning in the early 19th century. Many of the objects in the collection were acquired through archaeological excavations carried out by German archaeologists in Italy, Greece, and other parts of the Mediterranean. These excavations yielded a rich treasure trove of Roman art and artifacts, which were brought back to Germany and added to the collection.

Meet the Romans. Seen in Altes Museum in Berlin

Seen at Altes Museum: Cupid and Psyche

A statue in Altes Museum: Cupid and Psyche. This one is a Roman Copy made around 150 AD, after a Greek original made in the 1rst century BC. A photo made in the Roman Collection of the Old Museum in Berlin.

Psyche, a mortal woman of extraordinary beauty, arouses the jealousy of Venus, the goddess of love. Venus sends her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with a monster as a punishment for her beauty. However, Cupid himself falls in love with Psyche but forbids Psyche to look at him. Cupid’s demand for Psyche not to see him is a way to ensure that her love is true and not based on his physical or divine appearance. Psyche disobeys and lights a lamp to see Cupid’s face as he sleeps. Cupid flees, feeling betrayed. Psyche, heartbroken, undertakes a journey to win back Cupid’s love. She has to complete a series of impossible tasks set by Venus. Her perseverance and dedication eventually lead to her being granted immortality by Jupiter, the king of the gods, and she is finally reunited with Cupid. Their marriage symbolizes the union of the love and sould (Cupid and Psyche).

Cupid and Psyche originally appeared in the ancient Greek storytelling. Later, the story was written in the 2nd century AD by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis

Seen at Altes Museum:  Cupid and Psyche

Altes Museum. The Greek Collection

Altes Museum (Old Museum) is one of numerous buildings on the Museum Insel (Museum Isle) in Berlin (Germany). Originally it was created for all of Berlin’s art collections. Since 1904 it is housing the Antikensammlung (Collection of Classical Antiquities), including an extensive Greek collection. The classical artifacts had been collected for more than 350 years.

Since 2011, its lower floor offers an impressive panorama of Greek art from the 9th to the 1st century BC. It is numerous sculptures of the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods, vases, funerary and votive reliefs, architectural fragments, and other artifacts.

Below my photo impressions made May last year in the Ancient Greek Collection. Enjoy.

Altes Museum. The Greek Collection