Portrait Head of a Man (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Both the naturalism of this portrait (with its slightly asymmetric features, firm jaw, and projecting ears) and the controlled modeling of the head are features of early 1st-century replicas of Roman Republican portraits. Such replicas were popular in this period because they associated the ruling elite (many of whom were from non-aristocratic backgrounds) with the families, traditions, and values of the Republican era. Small-scale portraits are unusual in Roman portraiture and were probably displayed in private homes.
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
“Ancient Portraiture: The Sculptor’s Art in Coins and Marble,” Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, VA): 29 April-20 July 1980.
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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