Limestone head of a beardless male with a diadem
Unknown Artist
2nd or 3rd quarter of the 6th century BCE
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
Overall: 9 1/4 x 7 1/8 x 8 in. (23.5 x 18.1 x 20.3 cm)
Classification
Stone Sculpture
Culture & Period
Cypriot · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.2859
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking limestone head depicts a beardless young male wearing a diadem, a headband symbolizing royalty or divinity in ancient cultures. Carved in Cyprus during the 2nd or 3rd quarter the 6th century, in the Archaic period, measures about 9 inches tall and exemplifies the island's distinctive stone sculpture tradition. Cypriot artists favored local limestone for its workability, allowing detailed carving of facial features, hair, and adornments that convey youthful vigor and noble status. Archaic Cypriot art bridged Greek and Near Eastern influences, blending rigid, frontal poses with st...