About this artwork
The unidentified man in this over-life-size headless portrait statue is dressed in full military regalia. His torso is covered with a body armor called a cuirass, the front side of which is adorned with figural motifs intended to ward off evil. His armor is worn over a long tunic that ends above his knees and a leather, vest-like garment with tasseled straps to protect his groin and shoulders. He wears a type of heavy cloak, typically worn by Roman military commanders, draped over his left shoulder. Without the carved head, which would have been made separately and attached, it is impossible to identify the individual represented in this portrait. The elaborate ceremonial armor suggests that he was a general or perhaps even the emperor, as the latter held the role of commander of the Roman army.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 154
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Department
- Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
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Culture
- Ancient Roman
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Title
- Fragment of a Portrait Statue of a Man, Perhaps a Roman Emperor
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Date
- 50 CE–150 CE
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Medium
- Marble
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Dimensions
- 119.3 × 58.4 × 27.9 cm (47 × 23 × 11 in.)
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Credit Line
- Anonymous loan
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Reference Number
- 3.2011
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/207740/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
