Head of a Man

Terms of Use
Usage Conditions ApplyAt A Glance
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Period
300 BCE-100 CE -
Geography
Yemen -
Material
Calcite travertine -
Dimension
H x W x D: 17.1 x 13.2 x 10.1 cm (6 3/4 x 5 3/16 x 4 in) -
Accession Number
S1986.516 -
EDAN ID
edanmdm:fsg_S1986.516
Object Details
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Description
Head of a bearded male, of transluscent alabaster. Highly modelled, probably meant to be viewed only from the front. The facial features rendered in some detail. The eyes are modelled, with no pupil or eyebrows represented. The ears protrude perpendicular to the head, with some interior detail is incised into the ears for schematic rendering. The nose is straight, with nostrils indicated, and the mouth is represented by a thin grooved incision between the two modelled lips. The beard, which stretches from ear to ear, is represented as a semicircular ledge below the chin. The front edge of the beard is smoothed, but the bottom edge is not. The entire face rests in a smooth background field of the same stone.The sculpture is in good condition, with some minor scratches on the otherwise smooth and polished front surface. The tip of the nose is broken, and the back surface is unfinished, with several heavy chisel marks. The top of the head, and the side and bottom edges of the fragment bear signs of heavy alteration and/or chiselling. -
Provenance
1965Sale, Sotheby and Co., London. [1]From 1965 to 1966Joseph H. Hirshhorn (1899-1981), purchased from Sotheby and Co., London in 1965. [2]From 1966 to 1986Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn. [3]From 1986Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, transferred from Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC [4]Notes:[1] See document from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, object file, Collections Management Office.[2] See note 1.[3] See note 1.[4] See note 1. See also object file, Collections Management Office. -
Collection
National Museum of Asian Art Collection -
Previous custodian or owner
Joseph H. Hirshhorn (1899-1981)Sotheby's (London)Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden -
Origin
Yemen -
Credit Line
Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn to the Smithsonian Institution -
Type
Sculpture -
Restrictions and Rights
Usage Conditions Apply
There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
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