Limestone statuette of a male aulos player
Unknown Artist
middle or 3rd quarter of the 6th century BCE
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
Overall: 13 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 3 3/4 in. (34.3 x 14 x 9.5 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
74.51.2534
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting limestone statuette depicts a male musician skillfully playing the aulos, an ancient double-reed wind instrument central to Greek and Cypriot musical traditions. Carved in Cyprus during the Archaic periodspecifically the middle or third quarter of the 6th century BCE—the figure stands just over 13 inches tall, capturing a moment of performance with poised intensity. Its compact dimensions (13½ × 5½ × 3¾ in.) suggest it may have served as a votive offering in a sanctuary or a grave marker, common in Cypriot funerary and religious practices. Artistically, the work exemplifies ea...