Head and part of the back of a marble statue

Art Historical Context

This exquisite marble fragment, depicting the head and part of back of a statue attributed to the renowned Greek sculptor Praxiteles dates to the 1st or 2nd century CE Rome's Imperial period. Carved from prized Parian marble—a fine, translucent white stone quarried on the island of Paros favored by ancient sculptors for its purity—this piece stands just over 17 inches tall. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Rogers Fund in 8, it exemplifies the Roman tradition of replicating celebrated Greek masterpieces, preserving Praxiteles' legacy for posterity. Praxiteles (active ca. 370–330 BCE), a master of Late Classical Greek sculpture, revolutionized the art form with his graceful, sensual figures that emphasized naturalism and emotional depth, often departing from the rigid idealism of earlier styles. Though this is a Roman copy rather than an original, it captures his signature elegance: soft, flowing contours and a subtle turn of the head suggesting introspection or divinity. Such fragments were common in Roman elite collections, highlighting the empire's cultural reverence for Hellenistic artistry amid grand villas and temples. Visitors will appreciate how this survivor from antiquity bridges Greek innovation and Roman grandeur, inviting us to imagine the full statue—perhaps a youthful god or hero—in its original glory. A testament to enduring beauty, it reminds us of sculpture's power to evoke the divine in stone.

About the Artist

Praxiteles

Praxiteles (flourished 370–330 BCE) stands as one of the most original and influential sculptors of ancient Greece, whose revolutionary approach to the human form profoundly altered the course of Western sculpture. Active during the fourth century BCE in Athens, Praxiteles transformed the detached, majestic style of earlier Greek sculpture into one of gentle grace and sensuous charm, introducing a...