Not currently on display at the V&A

Head of a Empress

Head
2nd to 3rd century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Egypt (made)

This marble head of an Empress represents a woman looking to the front. Her hair frames her face with small curls, a style which is derived from a type of Flavian coiffure. At the back however her hair is plaited and taken over the crown and down again, in a style quite different to that of the Flavian period. Instead this style is comparable to that represented in imperial portraits ranging from about the middle of the third century until well into the fifth century. In the fourth century AD there was a deliberate change in the hair styles of female members of the Imperial house and a return to styles which evoked the Augustan era.

The head is thought to be Roman and is from Egypt.


Object details

Category
Africa
Object type
Head
TitleHead of a Empress
Materials and techniques
Marble
Marble
Brief description
Head of an empress; Marble Roman (from Egypt) 3rd century
Physical description
Marble, Head of a woman looking to the front. The hair in small curls frames the face and at the back the hair is plaited, taken up over the crown and down again. Chipped and nose badly broken.
Credit line
Purchased with the funds of the Francis Reubell Bryan Bequest.
Object history
Purchased with the funds of the Francis Reubell Bryan Bequest.
Summary
This marble head of an Empress represents a woman looking to the front. Her hair frames her face with small curls, a style which is derived from a type of Flavian coiffure. At the back however her hair is plaited and taken over the crown and down again, in a style quite different to that of the Flavian period. Instead this style is comparable to that represented in imperial portraits ranging from about the middle of the third century until well into the fifth century. In the fourth century AD there was a deliberate change in the hair styles of female members of the Imperial house and a return to styles which evoked the Augustan era.

The head is thought to be Roman and is from Egypt.
Bibliographic references
  • cf. Delbrueck, R, Spätantikes KaiserporträitsBerlin, 1932, pl. 10, pl. 63, 64 pp.84-86, pp. 163 ff.
  • West, R, Römische Portät-Plastik Munich, 1941, II, pl. XIII, 41, 41a.
  • Graindor, P, Bustes et Statues-portraits d'Egypte Romaine Cairo, 1936, pp. 108-9, pl. XLI, pl. LXIVa, b.
  • Felletti Maj, B.M, Iconographia Romana Imperiale Rome, 1958, pp. 163-5, pl. XXII, 69
  • Felletti Maj, 'Contributo alla Iconographia del IV Secolo D.C.II Ritratto Femminile', Critica d'Arte, VI, 1941, pp.74 ff.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.5-1945

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O314128/head-of-a-empress-head-unknown/
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