Relief from honorary monument to Marcus Aurelius

The landings on the main staircase that leads to the upper floors feature large historical reliefs which originally were used to decorate public monuments. 
Three panels from a triumphal arch refer to the exploits of Marcus Aurelius and are lined up on the first landing, while another three portraying the Emperor Hadrian are distributed one on each landing. 
On the top floor, on either side of the entrance to the Picture Gallery, two splendid panels inlaid with coloured marble from the Basilica Iunii Bassi on the Esquiline face each other.