The exhibition presents the works of Roman sculpture from the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Rabat, the exhibition is timed to the visit to Moscow of king Mohammed VI of Morocco

the Pushkin Museum Pushkin
17 March – 17 April 2016
the Main building. Moscow, Volkhonka str., 12

the Pushkin Museum to them. A. S. Pushkin opens the exhibition "Roman sculpture from Volubilis (Morocco)". The exhibition presents the works of Roman sculpture from the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Rabat, the exhibition is timed to the visit to Moscow of king Mohammed VI of Morocco.

the Territory of Morocco was part of the Roman Empire and was situated at its extreme South-западных borders. Exhibited eight large figures represent the sculpture of Volubilis (Volubilis — derived from the Latin "generous"; is probably the city on generous, fertile land) — one of the biggest cities of this region, considered the capital of the Moorish Kingdom. The Volubilis appeared about the third century BC and inhabited by Berbers, Greeks, Jews and Syrians, in the year 40 BC was annexed by Emperor Caligula to the Roman Empire. In the period of greatest prosperity the city had a population of approximately 20,000 people. In Volubilis, as in other Roman provinces, flourished many different kinds of art — were built monumental buildings, basilicas and triumphal arches decorated with sculptures. Sculpture stood in the town squares; floors in the homes of the wealthy were lined with luxurious mosaics; the interiors are decorated with fine finish and filled with elegant statues.

Numerous earthquakes failed to destroy all the wealth of the ancient city. When, with the establishment of the French protectorate in 1915 he began his excavations, were found most valuable monuments of architecture, sculpture and decorative-прикладного art. In 1997, Volubilis was included in the list of cultural monuments of global importance under UNESCO protection.

the exhibition includes two marble statues — "Lying Pappasole" and "River God", and also a few bronzes. Here and figures of animals — dogs and horses, executed with the Roman taste inherent interest in nature, and a statue of a decrepit old man, typical of Hellenistic Alexandria (II–I centuries BC), and superb figure of young men, making a libation;, it is executed in traditions of Praxiteles, great Greek master of the IV century BC it is Worth noting found in the "House of Venus" (where opened and the other bronze) portrait bust of Mark Portion of the Younger Cato — filled with internal force the way popular in Roman Africa who was a Republican and philosopher-стоика. Perhaps the original was executed in 46 BC, the year of the suicide of a prominent politician when the town of Utica to Mauritania, where was Cato the Younger, was besieged by his enemy Julius Caesar.

the Exhibition is located in hall 24 of the Main Museum building and will last until 17 April 2016.

Curators: Vladimir Tolstikov, head of the Department of art and archaeology of the Ancient world; Dmitry Kalinichev, researcher in the Department of art and archaeology of the Ancient world.

Source: press-релиз the Pushkin Museum to them. A. S. Pushkin