HELLENISTIC PERIOD, CIRCA MID-3RD CENTURY B.C.

This serene but melancholy portrait depicts a young woman. The hairstyle is reminiscent of Classical depictions of Aphrodite, Apollo and Dionysos of the 4th century B.C., with wavy hair centrally parted and pulled back with curls falling onto the shoulders. The small face with delicate features including the small curving lips dimpled at either side, however, instead likely represents a portrait of a mortal woman. The unfinished hair at the back suggests it was once part of a statue placed in a niche and the wistful expression points toward her once being part of a funerary sculpture – a seated or standing draped female figure.
Jucker (op. cit., p. 13) proposes that this portrait is of east Greek origin and relates it to depictions of Ptolemaic queens. For a related example with a similar treatment of the narrow almond-shaped eyes and crimpled parted hair, see fig. 645 in A. Stewart, Greek Sculpture.