The sculpture depicting the bust of emperor Hadrian owes its present-day appearance to eighteenth-century restoration. The object is composed of 27 fragments, both classical and modern. Only the upper part of the face comes from the bust of H adrian; the rest including parts originating from other classical sculptures, was added. Each part represents a different iconographie type; hence, the numerous redesigns. The shape of the parts was adapted in such a manner so as to render the sculpted form a certain logical form. The elements w ere connected by means of rosin and steel, cast dowels. The whole sculpture was impregnated by means of a resin-wax mass. The object has survived in an unsatisfactory state, with the classical parts representing the worst condition. Their surface, apart from numerous mechanical damage, disclosed a considerable loosening of cohesion between minerals and in certain places a disintegration of the stone (saccharation).
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