Augustus van Prima Porta in de Vaticaanse Musea te Vaticaanstad before 1907

This black and white photograph depicts a statue of Augustus in the Vatican Museums, brought to us by Edizione Brogi. I like to imagine the photographer setting up their heavy equipment, finding the perfect angle to capture this iconic sculpture. The statue itself is striking. Augustus stands tall, his arm raised in a gesture of authority. You can almost feel the weight of the marble, the coolness of the stone against your skin. What was it like for the sculptor, chipping away at the block, revealing the figure within? I wonder how many hours, days, or even months it took to complete? It reminds me of the long tradition of portraiture in art, the desire to capture a likeness, to preserve a moment in time. I’m also thinking about all of the historical forces and cultural ideas embodied in the statue of Augustus and echoed through the photograph. It's all one big conversation across time, each artist riffing off the ideas of those who came before, trying to make something new and meaningful.