About

Following an absence of 182-years, Strawberry Hill House will once again display the 2,000 year old Bronze Bust of Caligula. Our eagle-eyed curator rediscovered this long-lost treasure hidden in the Schroder Collection. The bust has since been taken to London metal conservator Rupert Harris, who confirmed the bronze's ancient composition, and to German archaeologist Dietrich Boschung, the foremost expert in Caligula's iconography, who confirmed his belief that it was Caligula, making it an extremely exciting and rare find.

The bust, originally sent by Horace Mann to Horace Walpole in 1767, captivated Walpole: "I gaze on it from morning to night. It is more a portrait than any picture I ever saw. The hair and ears seem neglected, to heighten the expression of the eyes, which are absolutely divine, and have a wild melancholy in them, that one forebodes might ripen to madness." (Walpole Correspondence, 30 May 1767)

After being lost in the 1842 sale at Strawberry Hill, the bust's recent discovery exemplifies the true essence of 'serendipity,' a term coined by Walpole himself. Discover the bust for yourself—tickets included in general admission.