Der Togatus Vogel in Berlin-Togastatue und Bildnis Traians

The article discusses a toga statue, which is said to come from Tivoli and was crowned by a portrait of Trajan not belonging to it. The sculpture came into the possession of the painter Hugo Vogel in Berlin, who obtained it from the Roman art market; after Vogel’s death it arrived in the German Archaeological Institute (Cental Office) in 1957 where it now resides (part 1). The occasion for the current publication arises from the recent cleaning, conservation and new installation executed by the sculptor Frank Beuthan and the conservator, Patrizia Governale (appendix 1). The statue figured in the discussion initiated by Margarethe Bieber in 1959 concerning the problem of defining “toga” or “pallium”. More significant, however, are its typological position within the group of Late Republican and Early Imperial toga statues, and its high quality of sculptural workmanship, which became apparent only after the recent cleaning and conservation, and issues raised by H.R. Goette concerning its place of origin or workshop and the letters inscribed on the plinth which remains puzzling (part 3). This topic is complemented by an analysis of the marble by D. Attanasio (appendix 2). The heavily weathered head, now removed,from the statue and displayed separately, most probably belongs to a late protrait tyupe of Trajan (part 2).