Head of a young man

Summary

On this classical head of a young man traces of red colour are visible to the naked eye in the hair and a few traces of red are found in the corner of the left eye and in the iris of the right eye. VIL- imaging was performed without any result

Description of object

The head was broken off at an angle from the neck, the break follows a flaw in the marble; another flaw runs through the left cheek. A flake of the chin has been broken off and the skullcap was broken along the hairband and has been reattached.

Choice of methods

Visual examination

• Macroscopic
• Microscopic in situ

Technical imaging

• UV
• VIL

Marble identification method

• Isotopic analysis

Visual examination

Red colour is the only colour found. Most of the traces of red are found in the hair, while a few traces are found in the corner of the left eye, in the iris of the right eye, on the nose, on the lower lip and on the left cheek.

Technical imaging

UV-FL: No fluorescence phenomena related to the antique polychromy, organic dyes or surface treatments are detected. However what appear to be traces of a discreet suggestion of the outline of the irises are seen, especially in left eye.

VIL VIL- imaging was performed without any result

Other types of investigation

Isotopic analysis was performed in order to identify the marble. The results suggests a marble from Asia Minor.

Bibliography

M. Moltesen (1995), Catalogue. Greece in the Classical Period. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, 74-75, cat. no. 19.