RELIEF OF A HEAD

Roman, early 1st Century A.D. , marble, Height 37.4 cm. Inv. No. 1960.57.
What seems at first sight to be an idealized Classical sculpture of a head is in fact the portrait of a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, and probably formed part of an alto-relief comprising several figures. The typical arrangement of the hair above the brow leaves this in no doubt, although the exact identity of the person depicted still has to be determined - Augustus, Gaius Caesar, Drusus Minor and Germanicus have been suggested to date.