Bronze portrait bust of a young boy

A dark patinated bronze bust of a young boy with a wide, calm face, deep-set eyes, and short hair arranged in tight curls around a band or wreath across the crown. Red-brown corrosion mottles the surface, especially along the shoulders and neck. The head is set on a truncated bust and displayed on a white pedestal against a dark backdrop.

Look closer: Reddish corrosion patches on the shoulders and neck, and a small break at the base of the bust.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 50–68 CE

Medium

Bronze, silver

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2911 × 3880 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Funds from various donors, 1966