Publius Aelius Hadrianus, more commonly known as Hadrian, was a Roman emperor who lived from 76 to 138 AD and was one of the Five Good Emperors. He put a stop to expansion and consolidated the empire, travelling for most of his rule to negotiate with dissatisfied provincial locals, but more often than not, to learn about their territories. A writer had called him “omnium curiositatum explorator” — an explorer of everything interesting — and this desire to learn translated to artistic expression. Hadrian was a poet. He was also known to enjoy having things built, including a frontier wall in Britain that spans from Wallsend-on-Tyne to Bowness-on-Solway, which still stands today. He rebuilt the Pantheon, which had been previously destroyed by fire. The ruins of Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli still exist, and his mausoleum, Castel Sant’Angelo, became the burial place of the Antonine emperors. 

In celebration of Hadrian’s many achievements, Montblanc released the Patron of Art Homage to Hadrian in 2019. Made from Egyptian basalt, its cap and barrel beautifully contrast the gold-plated clip in the shape of wheat, the symbol of Demeter, the goddess of harvest. The head of Medusa, a symbol of protection, decorates the bottom cap ring, while the thinner ring just beneath the cap’s finial has an engraved “Historia Augusta”, pertaining to the collection of imperial biographies that significantly influenced the world’s current understanding of the Roman empire. 

We have for sale a brand new Montblanc Patron of Art Homage to Hadrian with an 18-karat gold nib in M. The box includes the pen and all inserts. 

Length capped: 14.7 cm. 
Length uncapped: approximately 11.8 cm.