Limestone statuette of a beardless male votary with a wreath of leaves
Unknown Artist
2nd half of the 5th or early 4th century BCE
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
H. 24 x 6 3/4 x 4 3/8 in. (61 x 17.1 cm, 4 3/8 in.)
Classification
Stone Sculpture
Culture & Period
Cypriot · Late Classical–Early Hellenistic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.2711
Tags
Art Historical Context
This limestone statuette depicts a beardless male vot, or religious devotee, adorned with a wreath of leavesning his head—a symbol of ritual offering or celebration in ancient rites. Standing about two feet tall, the figure embodies the solemn grace of Cypriot sculpture from the late 5th or early 4th century, during the Late Classical to Early Hellenistic period. Carved from local limestone, a durable medium abundant on Cyprus, it reflects the island's vibrant tradition of producing small-scale votive figures for sanctuaries, blending Greek influences with distinctive Eastern Mediterranean sty...