Marble Head of a Bearded Man in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, February 2008

Marble Head of a Bearded Man
Roman, Imperial period, 2nd century AD
Copy of a Greek statue of the 4th century BC

Accession # 1993.342

Since eight other Roman copies of this Greek portrait type are known, it probably represents a famous figure. Although there is no evidence for identification, some scholars have suggested that the original statue portrayed the Athenian lawgiver Solon, one of the Seven Sages famed in antiquity for practical wisdom. This head is one of the most sensitive and crisp likenesses in the Metropolitan's collection of Roman copies of Greek portraits.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.