Salonia Matidia as Thalia, Muse of Comedy
Ca. 1789. Marble.Room 076
This Muse is a copy of a Roman herm, in this case depicting Comedy with vine tendrils in her hair and the features of the Roman noblewoman Salonia Matidia (68-119 d. C.), like that of Tragedy (E000420). The originals of both Muses were found during excavations led by Count Giuseppe Fede at Hadrian’s Villa and are now in the Musei Vaticani.