Marforio

Marforio is a white marble sculpture in the courtyard of Palazzo Nuovo depicting a bearded god reclining peacefully while holding a shell. The figure likely represents Oceanus or a river deity and was carved from stone during Rome's early imperial period.

The statue was originally found in the Forum of Augustus near the Temple of Mars Ultor and dates from the first century AD. Pope Sixtus V ordered it moved from the papal square to Capitoline Hill during the late 16th century, and it eventually took its present location.

This statue is part of a small group of six figures in Rome where citizens once attached anonymous verses and jokes criticizing public figures and politicians. It served as a voice for common people who wanted to speak freely without revealing their identity.

The statue sits in the courtyard of Palazzo Nuovo and is reached through the Capitoline Museums entrance. You will find it in an open courtyard that is easy to locate once inside the museum building.

The sculpture was carved from Carrara marble, the same precious stone that artists like Michelangelo chose for their greatest works. This white Carrara stone gives the figure its characteristic bright appearance and reveals the skill of Roman carvers.