Ludovisi Collection in Palazzo Altemps

Palazzo Altemps in Rome

The Ludovisi Gaul (also Galatian Suicide, Suicide of a Gaul, or more accurately Gaul Killing Himself and His Wife) is an oversized Docimaean marble statue group of a standing naked male figure in the act of stabbing himself in the neck with a short sword while supporting a dying woman on his left arm.

The Great Ludovisi Sarcophagus is a colossal sarcophagus dating probably from the late 2nd, early 3rd century. Battle scenes on the front facade are on three levels: victorious Romans at the top, the fighting at the center, and the defeated, mostly slain barbarians at the bottom. The face of the deceased (general on horseback, center) might have been reworked. The large sarcophagus is often the background to images of the Ludovisi Gaul.

Visit the Palazzo Altemps in central Rome to see a small but fantastic collection of top sculptures from antiquity displayed in a historic palace of the National Roman Museum.

About the Author

Henk Bekker is a European travel writer specializing in transportation, cultural destinations, and practical travel advice across Europe.