MARCUS AURELIUS Hand-Painted Silver Pendant on Red Porphyry

This pendant features a hand-painted representation of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, skillfully crafted by artist Tommaso Rossi on red porphyry. Set in solid silver, it celebrates Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king and a symbol of wisdom and stoic virtue. The deep red tone of the porphyry provides a striking contrast, emphasizing the noble features of the emperor, while the silver setting adds a touch of timeless elegance.

Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE) was a Roman emperor renowned as a philosopher-king and a key figure of Stoic philosophy. Born into a prominent family, he rose to power as one of Rome's "Five Good Emperors," leading with wisdom, justice, and restraint. His reign was marked by military challenges and internal stability, but he is best remembered for his reflections, compiled in the Meditations, a cornerstone of Stoic thought. Advocating virtue, self-discipline, and rationality, Marcus Aurelius remains an enduring symbol of leadership guided by philosophical principles.

Tommaso Rossi is the talented young artist who creates these exquisite miniature portraits and mythical stories. Working on both marble and hard stone discs, he depicts historical and mythical figures from ancient Greece and Rome, using paints such as enamels, titanium acrylics and graphite. In his amazingly detailed technique, Tommaso employs either an echidna quill or a rose thorn instead of a brush to define the figures on these miniature masterpieces.
Born in Rome in 2000, Tommaso first attended art school on Via Ripetta and then, recognized for his superior talent, he entered the prestigious “Scuola dell’Arte della Medaglia”. This is an elite art school in Rome where only a small number of the finest young artists are carefully chosen for further training in the arts of engraving and plastic modeling.
For more than a century, exceptional artists have acquired additional skills through the use of ancient techniques, innovative methodologies, design and craftsmanship. Importance is also given to art history and conservation. Classical traditions are reimagined, merging Antiquity with present day culture.