| Date | 130–140 |
|---|---|
| Object type | sculpture |
| Medium, technique | carved, marble |
| Dimensions | height: 26 cm, width: 17.5 cm |
| Inventory number | 4053 |
| Collection | Classical Antiquities |
| On view | Museum of Fine Arts, Basement Floor, Classical Antiquity, Eros – Dionysos – Thanatos |
The head depicts Aphrodite, the most beautiful goddess. Her hair is tied with a long ribbon, and pulled into a bun at the top of her head, except for two longer tresses on the shoulders. The head follows the tradition of 4th-century BC Greek sculpture. It is modelled after a statue by Praxiteles (ca. 370–320 BC), the Aphrodite of Knidos. Praxiteles was the first to sculpt the goddess naked, who – upon seeing the statue – is said by one Greek poet to have exclaimed: “Alas! Where did Praxiteles see me naked?”
Marble analyses have shown that the statue was made of Thasian marble.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.
