Roman emperors travelling to Italy
Author: Harry Lindelauf
Photography: Wil van der Laan
Sculptor Wil van der Laan will, at the end of June – provided that corona allows it – bring his bronze busts of five Roman emperors to Pergola in Italy. There, they will adorn the commemoration that in this city in the Marche the Bonzi Dorati (“Golden Bronzes”) were excavated 75 years ago.
The journey of Wil van der Laan goes from vineyard to vineyard until the destination in Pergola. The starting point is the Apostelhoeve in Maastricht. For the busts of the emperors Aurelius, Nero, Hadrian, Augustus and Trajan and of Julius Caesar on horseback, it will be a one-way trip: the statues will remain in Pergola. The artworks have been purchased by a local private individual.
Book and film
Wil van der Laan maintains his intention to let the group of statues travel along the Via Belgica. At the moment, the artist is consulting with various parties about exhibition locations and dates for the second series that is being cast.
At the end of March, the statues were displayed in the Emperor’s Hall of the Basilica of Saint Servatius. They were photographed for a book that is in preparation. Filming has also taken place for a documentary. In the film – in which Governor Theo Bovens will also appear – the Roman past of Limburg is linked to that of Pergola.
