Art and Life in Imperial Rome: Trajan and His Times November 2, 2025–January 25, 2026
Statue of Trajan, Minturno, Italy, 2nd century, marble, National Archaeological Museum, Naples.
Statue of Sabina as Ceres, the Baths of Neptune, Ostia, Italy, 2nd century, marble, Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, Rome.
The Departure of Chryseis, House V.2.14, Pompeii, Italy, 2nd century, fresco, National Archaeological Museum, Naples.
Group with Two Greyhounds, Villa of Antoninus Pius, Monte Cagnolo, Italy, 2nd century, marble, Pio Clementino Museum, Vatican Museums, Vatican City.
Mosaic Pavement with Fish, House of the Severi, Rome, Italy, 2nd century, mosaic, National Roman Museum, Rome.
Colossal Head of a Barbarian with Tall Pileus, Rome, Italy, beginning of the 2nd century, marble, Pio Clementino Museum, Vatican Museums, Vatican City.
Majestic marble portraits, vivid frescoes, and elegant furnishings chronicle life at the height of the Roman Empire.
Spectacular objects bring to life the extraordinary reign of Emperor Trajan, who ruled the Roman Empire at its height. Art and Life in Imperial Rome: Trajan and His Times features treasures from museums in Rome, Naples, and Vatican City.
The first major exhibition in the United States dedicated to the times of Trajan, Art and Life in Imperial Rome explores the remarkable impact on art and culture of his nearly 20-year reign at the turn of the second century AD. The works on view tell the many stories–cultural, social, political, and economic—of life in Rome at that time, immersing visitors in the majesty of Trajan’s world.
Among the highlights are rarely displayed marble portrait busts and statues of the men and women who shaped the Roman world of Trajan’s dynasty, as well as vivid frescoes and ornate furnishings from Roman villas. Lending historical and visual context to these remarkable artworks is a re-creation of a section of Trajan’s Column—a towering pillar with a spiraling narrative frieze that is one of the few monumental sculptures to have survived the fall of Rome.
Plan Your Visit
- This exhibition is located on Level 1 of the Beck Building.
- Tickets go on sale this summer.
- Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map
Art and Life in Imperial Rome: Trajan and His Times / November 2, 2025–January 25, 2026
“Art and Life in Imperial Rome: Trajan and His Times” is co‐organized by StArt and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Lead foundation underwriting is provided by:
Major support is provided by:
Jerold B. Katz Foundation
Generous support is provided by:
The Favrot Fund
Consulate General of Italy in Houston and The Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles