CL0074 Head of Athena Parthenos. Creamy, ivory imitating, fine indurate limestone. Roman, 1st century BC/AD Height: 4.5cm Condition: as shown. This little masterpiece belonged to a statuette made after the original legendary statue of Phidias, the so called Chryselephantine, 447-438 BC, that was 12 m high and dominated all other sculpture on the Acropolis of Athens. The Phidias original was partly made of ivory and gold, thus the term Chryselephantine. A few Roman copies in marble have servived, non known of this miniature size and material, which was probably chosen to imitate the ivory of the Phidias original. Illustrated TEFAF-Maastricht catalogue 2002, page 371.
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Classical | Egyptian | Near Eastern | Ancient Glass | Jewellery | Varia