Where Is Farnese Atlas? Museum Location

Q: Where is the Farnese Atlas?

The statue is at the Naples National Archaeological Museum. It arrived with other Farnese family treasures in the 18th century.

Q: Why is the globe scientifically important?

The sphere shows the oldest surviving classical constellations. Astronomers use it to reconstruct ancient star maps and understand how Greeks saw the night sky.

Q: How big is the Farnese Atlas?

The statue stands 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) tall. The celestial globe itself is large enough to show detailed constellation figures across its surface.

Q: Who was Atlas?

Atlas was a Titan punished by Zeus to hold up the heavens. This eternal burden became one of mythology's most recognizable images, later applied to books of maps.

Ancient Roman The Farnese Atlas shows the Titan Atlas bearing the celestial sphere on his shoulders, condemned by Zeus to hold up the heavens for eternity. Created around 150 CE, this Roman marble statue stands 185 centimeters tall. The globe Atlas carries is the oldest surviving representation of the classical constellations, making it invaluable for historians of astronomy.

Unlike dramatic depictions of Atlas straining under his burden, this figure bears the cosmos with calm dignity. The 41 constellations carved on the sphere match descriptions by ancient astronomers, though positioned for a viewer looking from outside the heavens rather than standing on Earth. Scholars use the sphere to reconstruct lost star catalogs.

The statue is displayed at the Naples Archaeological Museum with the Farnese collection.

The statue is at the Naples National Archaeological Museum. It arrived with other Farnese family treasures in the 18th century.

The sphere shows the oldest surviving classical constellations. Astronomers use it to reconstruct ancient star maps and understand how Greeks saw the night sky.

The statue stands 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) tall. The celestial globe itself is large enough to show detailed constellation figures across its surface.

Atlas was a Titan punished by Zeus to hold up the heavens. This eternal burden became one of mythology's most recognizable images, later applied to books of maps.

Farnese Atlas

Details

Where to See It

The Artist

More by Ancient Roman (Unknown)

Artemis of Versailles

Porphyry support for a water basin

Relief Fragments Depicting a Seated Woman and a Griffin

Capitoline Wolf

Also at Naples National Archaeological Museum

Farnese Hercules

Farnese Bull

About Farnese Atlas

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