Bust of a Roman Emperor / Bust of a man of African descent

A carved sardonyx cameo in a gold oval setting shows a white profile bust turned left, the head wrapped in a band with a ribbon knotted behind and drapery at the shoulder. The layered brown and white stone gives the figure sculptural contrast against the dark ground.

Look closer: A ribbon tied in a bow at the back of the head.

Artist

Unknown

Date

mid-16th century

Medium

Sardonyx and gold

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

1475 × 1920 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Milton Weil Collection, 1938