Marble portrait head of a woman

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The portrait is one of great character, reflecting the personality and physical appearance of the subject. It also illustrates the continuing practice of private individuals of following the fashions set by the imperial court; under the Severan dynasty (A.D. 193–235) hairstyles for both men and women were very restrained in comparison with earlier styles. In addition, the carving at the back of the head indicates that a separate piece of marble was used for part of the coiffure, either a circular bun or a broad ponytail.

Greek and Roman Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Museum's collection of Greek and Roman art comprises more than thirty thousand works ranging in date from the Neolithic period (ca. 4500 B.C.) to the time of the Roman emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity in A.D. 312. It includes the art of many cultures and is among the most comprehensive in North America. The geographic regions represented are Greece and Italy, but not as delimited by modern political frontiers: Greek colonies were established around the Mediterranean basin and on the shores of the Black Sea, and Cyprus became increasingly Hellenized. For Roman art, the geographical limits coincide with the expansion of the Roman Empire. The department also exhibits the art of prehistoric Greece (Helladic, Cycladic, and Minoan) and pre-Roman art of Italic peoples, notably the Etruscans.

Metropolitan Museum of Art