Female Head
Unknown Artist
ca. 5th century
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
H. 3 3/4 in. (9.6 cm); W. 5 1/16 in. (12.8 cm); D. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
Afghanistan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Cynthia Hazen Polsky, 1984
Accession Number
1984.491.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate marble sculpture, titled *Female Head*, hails from ancient Afghanistan around the 5th century and exemplifies the renowned Gandharan style.ved from fine white marble, it measures just 3 3/4 inches high, making it a intimate portrait likely intended for a larger Buddhist relief or shrine. Discovered in the region of Gandhara—spanning modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan—this piece reflects the cultural crossroads of the Silk Road, where Greco-Roman influences from Alexander the Great's legacy mingled with local Indian and Central Asian traditions. Gandharan art is celebrated for i...