Tech mogul Mark Zuckerberg has honored his wife, Priscilla Chan, with an enormous sculpture of her likeness, embracing a nod to Roman tradition. On Instagram, Zuckerberg posted a photo of Chan standing beside the impressive statue in their garden, captioning it, “Bringing back the Roman tradition of making sculptures of your wife.”
The sculpture, commissioned from renowned artist Daniel Arsham, features intricate details, including a wind-blown silver garment resembling angel wings. Chan, dressed in a pink robe and sipping from a matching mug, stands next to the vibrant blue-green statue.
Zuckerberg revealed that he had joked about making a sculpture of Chan for years and seized the opportunity to work with Arsham. The artist’s creation, made of crystal and volcanic ash, is similar to his piece for an exhibition at Venice’s Chiesa di Santa Caterina in September.
The Instagram post has garnered over 170K likes, with many praising Zuckerberg for the thoughtful gift. Comments ranged from “Husbands everywhere are shaking” to “Setting the bar high for all the husbands out there.”
The tradition of sculpting women in Roman times symbolized virtues like duty, loyalty, and devotion, often showcasing a wife’s moral integrity and loyalty to her family. Wealthy Roman families commissioned these statues to emphasize valued societal qualities.
Zuckerberg and Chan, who met at a Harvard college party in 2003, married in 2012 and have three daughters: Maxima, August, and Aurelia. Recently, the couple attended a lavish pre-wedding bash in India, admiring billionaire Anant Ambani’s $1 million Richard Mille watch.
