Portrait of Roman woman

Summary

The head is made of white marble with a yellowish brown patina. The nose has been broken off, and the head seems to have belonged to a statue.

Frederik Poulsen noted in his catalogue (Poulsen, 1951), that vestiges of red colour were seen at the nape of the neck with the naked eye.

In 1957 the head was cleaned and given a new plinth.

Description of object

The nose has been broken off and is missing. The neck is formed for insertion in a statue.

This older woman with the tightly closed lips possesses an energetic appearance, with an almost wry smile. The hair over the forehead is wavy, with small curls in front of the ears. The eyebrows are prominent, framing large round eyes.

Choice of methods

Visual examination

• Macroscopic

Bibliography

F. Poulsen (1951), Catalogue of Ancient Sculpture in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. no. 752.

F. Johansen (1994), Catalogue. Roman Portraits III. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. no. 68.