Marble head of a Hellenistic ruler

A marble head of a man with short, tightly curled hair, deep-set eyes, a straight nose, and a firm mouth with a slight moustache. The carved surface is weathered in places, and the neck ends in a flat break. Set against a plain gray backdrop, the head is shown frontally, with the face turned slightly toward the viewer.

Look closer: Small chips and weathering on the cheek and brow show the marble's age.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st–2nd century CE

Medium

Marble

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2740 × 3836 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Frederick F. Thompson, 1903