Love it!

Thank you, that's very kind!

Prince Camillo Borghese was Napoleon's brother-in-law and was happy to sell to his hero. The Romans were less happy about it. But after the emperor's fall from power, the sale was judged legal and the collection remains in the Louvre to this day.

They did buy the whole Borghese collection.

I honestly can't think of anyone with more experience with cuirasses here than you, Chapps!

Some mosaics, but I was surprised by the dearth of Roman sarcophagi in the British Museum. I would've expected lots more, bought off the now-impecunious families of Grand Tourists, but there was practically nothing. The Louvre has an astounding collection of Roman sarcophagi. There's no comparison.

Chapps, you and I always understand each other. I appreciate you very much.

The Silenus, though much restored, is also of a higher quality of carving than the sarcophagus itself.

The comfort you can only get with wings.

I just took a photo of this myself this vwry morning!

Quite like a boar wearing Burberry. Boarberry.

"Middle-aged, as if this would increase his power or virility". The skepticism, it burns like acid!

But Milan is horrible! All grey and foggy, rainy most of the time, London without the magnificence but with all the costliness, dreary and smoggy.

As a Finn this delights me, though it doesn't, alas, convince me.

My pleasure, Giovanna!

A hasty correction: this is not linked to the domus Anniorum, but is across the via Cælimontana, today's via di S. Stefano, and is adjacent to the huge C1-C4 domus of the Licinii Surae. L. Licinius Sura, the great general (and lover?) of Trajan, was born in Spain but probably came from this family.