Portrait Head of a Woman
117-30
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
34.3 × 26.7 × 26 cm (13 1/2 × 10 1/2 × 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
marble
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
15606
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This woman’s name is unknown, but her portrait indicates that she was likely a member of the imperial family. She wears a tall ornamental headband, typically reserved for goddesses and imperial women. Her elaborate hairstyle, with distinct locks woven around the headband, would have required the services of a skilled hairdresser. Moreover, the use of costly marble reflects her family’s wealth, while her commemoration with a finely carved portrait indicates that she was of elevated social standin...
About the Artist
Ancient Roman
The artists attributed to "Ancient Roman" in museum collections represent the anonymous craftsmen who produced the vast output of sculpture, frescoes, mosaics, and reliefs defining Roman visual culture from the Republic (c. 509–27 BCE) to the late Empire (c. 395 CE). Individual identities remain elusive, as Roman makers were typically viewed as skilled tradesmen—often enslaved Greeks or provincial...