Bust of a man
This man in his prime, with an elongated, bearded face, turns his head slightly, his hair flowing over his forehead in long locks. He wears a simple mantle. In Graeco-Roman art this is a typical representation of a philosopher, and in a wider sense, of a person committed to the spiritual life: the portrait thus shows the man as an intellectual.
The ancient story of this statue spans several centuries. It evokes the tradition of Athenian portraits from the 4th century BC, but certain traits, such as the engraved iris, indicate that it was made in the mid-2nd century AD. It was later reworked, which is discernible around the right ear. Based on the elongated shape of the head, the statue received its present form in the late 4th century AD.
Marble analyses conducted by Danielle Decrouez (Geneva, Museum of Natural History) and Karl Ramseyer (University of Bern, Institute of Geological Sciences) have shown that the bust was made of Göktepe marble. Click here for the detailed results.
