Capitoline Wolf, Bronze sculpture in the Capitoline Museums, Rome, Italy
The Capitoline Wolf is a bronze sculpture in the Capitoline Museums in Rome depicting an ancient female wolf. The animal's body clearly shows it is a recent mother who has nursed young.
A pope gifted the sculpture in the 15th century to the Capitoline Hill, where it was mounted on a palace roof. Later it was moved indoors to the museum, where it has remained since.
The wolf represents the mother who nursed two infants according to Rome's founding legend. The animal remains a core symbol of the city, appearing throughout public spaces and imagery even now.
The bronze work stands in a central hall of the museum where casting and surface details are easy to see. Visitors can view the sculpture from all angles, though they may need to wait during busy times.
A 2025 lead isotope analysis of the bronze found a metallic composition consistent with copper from mines across the Holy Roman Empire, not the Danube or Sardinia. The result is contested, and no consensus on a revised dating exists.
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