Marble head from a herm

A carved marble head of a bearded man with dense, wavy hair framing a broad face, heavy-lidded eyes and a closed mouth. The surface is weathered and the head sits on a plain block base. Its form suggests it once belonged to a herm, a pillar-shaped monument.

Look closer: Wear and small chips across the surface of the marble, especially around the hair and beard.

Artist

Unknown

Date

probably late 5th century BCE

Medium

Marble

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2909 × 3509 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1959