Menander, so-called seated togatus

The statue depicts a male figure, smaller than life-size, sitting on a seat with a large cushion.

Thanks to the bibliographical information and inventory numbers on the statue, it is possible to deduce that the work became part of the collection of the Galleries between 1704 and 1753, the year in which it was first listed in the inventories of the Royal Gallery. However, the archive documents do not allow to establish the exact provenance and date of purchase. According to 18th century inventories, the statue was initially stored in the room to the right of Buontalenti's Tribune and then in the storage room on the first floor. Since the early 19th century, until 1923, it was listed among the works displayed in the Hall of Ancient Inscriptions in the centre of a wing of the room. In fact, in the 1920s the statue must have been moved to the storage rooms of the Museum, only to end up in more recent times in the storerooms of Villa Corsini in Castello, where it remained until 2024.

Recently, thanks to a careful analysis of the clothing and footwear, a study allowed to identify the protagonist of the work. As a matter of fact, in modern times, the sculpture underwent numerous restorations that greatly altered its original aspect, thus paving the way to different interpretations regarding the subject. Nowadays, despite the traditional identification with a togated Roman consul, which by some critics has been associated with the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla (Gori 1734, pl. LXXXI; David 1798, pl. VIII), or with the Latin poet Virgil (Lippold 1918; Crome 1935, 1952, 1962), we can conclude that the portrayed man is the famous Athenian poet Menander (342 - 293 BC), the greatest exponent of the New Comedy. This association is further strengthened if we compare the sculpture with other representations of Greek poets, such as the statuette of the playwright Moschione preserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (inv. no. 6238).

In the classical world, clothing had an important symbolic value and - then as now - represented the expression of social and cultural identity. The robe (chiton), cloak (himàtion) and sandals worn by the protagonist of the sculpture are in fact typical of the Macedonian culture, to which the poet seems to have been particularly attached. Regarding the robe, it is only visible on the right side of the chest and is sewn over the shoulder and upper section of the arm, while on the upper part of the torso it forms the characteristic V-shaped fold. In addition, it is concealed by the cloak that runs diagonally across the figure's chest and falls over the left shoulder to finally cover legs, lower body and back. For what concerns the footwear, this statuette stands out among the many replicas of the same subject because on both feet it preserved a specific model of sandals known as trochàdes. Despite being of Greek origin, these sandals are characterised by the lingula, a leather strip typical of the Roman era that ran along the instep and had the dual function of adorning the shoe and protecting the skin from rubbing against the laces. The work would thus be a Roman copy of the monument dedicated to Menander by the Athenians around 293 B.C., which was located on the slopes of the Agora near the theatre of Dionysus.

As for the seat, it could be interpreted either as a distinctive element of the iconography of Hellenistic poets, which alluded to a comfortable domestic environment and a secluded lifestyle that could favour poetic inspiration, or as a reference to the place of honour that in the theatre was reserved to the most prominent citizens.

With regard to the restoration works, the head that we can admire today depicts a bearded man absorbed in his thoughts with a far-away look in his eyes, whereas the ancient one - now lost - must have been oriented in another direction. In addition, the broad forehead, which is slightly balding and marked by two deep wrinkles, contrasts with the full, soft oval typical of a young man's face. The right forearm and the corresponding hand are also the result of modern restoration. Even though also in antiquity - taking into account the position of the shoulder and arm - the man must have rested his hand on his knees, it is not possible to determine whether or not he was holding something. Therefore, the modern reconstruction proposes its own interpretation through the inclusion of a parchment scroll (volumen) in the composition. The wrist and left forearm, as well as the index finger of the left hand and the front portion of the base, including the toes of the left foot and part of the shoe, are also the result of restoration.

As a consequence, although the formal aspects seem to suggest a dating of the work to the proto-imperial period (mid-1st century A.D. - 2nd century A.D.), in the absence of the original head and taking into account the numerous restoration works, it is still very complicated to precisely date this sculpture.

In conclusion, given the inaccurate workmanship of the back and sides, and if we accept the identification of the protagonist with Menander, this sculpture was most likely placed inside a niche and intended to adorn the library or study of a wealthy citizen. The presence in a private home of a replica of the Athenian monument depicting the seated poet had a symbolic value and was a sign that the owner belonged to a cultural elite.

3D model, realised in collaboration with Indiana University, Politecnico di Milano and University of Florence http://www.digitalsculpture.org/florence/main/model/9fcc0d2ff8874611ace1a2edb6ab69e9