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Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs

by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris

Learn how the solid, abstracted forms of these co-emperors reject earlier understanding of the human body.

Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs, from Constantinople, c. 305, porphyry, 4′ 3″ high (St. Marks, Venice)

Smarthistory images for teaching and learning:

Tetrarchs, lower half

Tetrarchs, detail from right

Tetrarchs, four busts

Tetrarchs, oblique busts

Tetrarchs, detail with legs

Tetrarchs, detail with skirts and scabbards

Tetrarchs, detail with hands on hilts

Tetrarchs, left busts

Tetrarchs, right heads close

Tetrarchs from right

View of Tetrarchs

Tetrarchs, half length on edge

Tetrarchs, view from left

More Smarthistory images…

Cite this page as: Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris, "Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs," in Smarthistory, December 10, 2015, accessed June 9, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/portraits-of-the-four-tetrarchs/.