Portrait Head of a Young Woman, Roman, Imperial Period

I'd like to introduce one of our most impressive Roman marble portraits. This one of a young lady who looks at us in a very alert and pensive way. She comes across as a forceful young lady with lots of character and knowing where she stands in life. She's a private portrait. No other likenesses of her seem to have survived. So even though one assumes she is from a prominent family, certainly it seems she is not part of the imperial or ruling families of the Roman Empire. She dates from the late 2nd century of our era. And the most striking aspect, which everybody notes at once, is the red stain in the lower part of the covering most of the neck and the small portions of the butt. We surmise that this is the result of the piece having been exposed to a fire in antiquity and the red color has been embedded all the way into the stone. If we summarize what distinguishes this portrait from most other Roman creations is the technique, the state of preservation with a wonderful finish of surface, the quality of the carving, and the alertness and beauty of the features of the young lady herself.