CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.

Apollo was the ancient Greek and Roman god with the multifaceted dominion over light, the sun, truth, prophecy, music and poetry. He came to be portrayed in art with idealized beauty encompassing the strength of male physique with a subtle touch of femininity. This exquisite head of Apollo retains its original surface polish which contrasts with his deeply-drilled center-parted locks that fall in luscious ringlets along his neck. It is an eclectic classicistic Roman creation of the 2nd century A.D., loosely based on a Greek prototype of the 5th century B.C. associated with the famed sculptor Pheidias. It relates to several Roman variants including the Apollo of Mantua and the Kassel Apollo. See, for example, nos. 176 and 180 in Ridgway, The Severe Style in Greek Sculpture.