L’urna di L. Aelius Aquinus nel quadro Roman Widow di Dante Gabriel Rossetti: minima archaeologica

The article delves into the connections between Dante Gabriel Rossetti and the classical world through a study of the Roman urn depicted in his painting Roman Widow (Dîs Manibus), an oil on canvas from 1874, now housed at the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico. The inscribed urn, likely of ancient origin, is analyzed typologically and contextualized within urban production of the Flavian period. The article also explores the circumstances surrounding Rossetti's creation of the painting, investigating, as far as possible, how the urn was acquired and its destination following the artist's death. Finally, an examination of the inscription – absent from epigraphic repertories – suggests it may be a modern titulus, possibly added in paint by Rossetti with the final salutation formula, likely copied from a funerary altar at the British Museum depicted in a volume owned by the artist.