A Roman Marble Portrait Head of Alexander the Great

Circa 1st-2nd Century A.D.

Height 12 1/2 inches (31 cm).

Property from a Midwest Private Collection

Provenance:

Private Collection, England, prior to 1980s.

Royal Athena Galleries, New Yok (Art of the Ancient World, vol. XIX, no. 15) 2008.

Note:

This marble head of Alexander the Great is best compared to the portrait-type from Pergamon which includes some of the well established features of Alexander known from ancient sources. Even though the original surface of the marble has been lost to age, the sculpture still evokes a youthful energy and dynamic presence encountered in only the best stone portraits of the king. The anastole and long locks of hair frame Alexander’s smooth fresh face and strengthen his leonine appearance. After his death in 323 B.C., many of the king’s successors adopted this kind of hair style as a symbol of their royal status and ties to Alexander.

Even to this day, Alexander's likeness and hairstyle remains iconic, and is visible in every media, from movies and advertising to fine art. In 1982, Andy Warhol appropriated an ancient bronze head of Alexander for his portfolio of screenprints titled Alexander the Great (F&S, II.291-292). Commissioned by Alexander Iolas to coincide with “The Search for Alexander” exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (October 27, 1982 – January 3, 1983), Warhol’s screenprints brought the instantly recognizable profile of Alexander into the Pop era.

For the specific profile used by Warhol, see the Roman Bronze Head of Alexander (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Inv. no. L.2012.4.1); For the portrait head in the Pergamon Museum, see The Search for Alexander (Exhibition Catalogue), The National Gallery, Washington D.C., November 16, 1980-April 5, 1981.

Intact as preserved. Inspected with UV light and 10x loupe; nothing was revealed. Weathering typical of age; heavier weathering to the back of the head with the hair nearly lost. Elements of the face such as the eyes, mouth, and nose are well preserved. Minor surface crack to the proper left side in the hair, not affecting the overall stability. Other superficial chips, incrustations, and abrasions throughout; minor spot of brown patina in the hair. Break at the bottom is even with a hole in the middle of the neck drilled for a metal dowel now affixed to a modern base. Height with base 17 inches. Very attractive and stable condition overall.

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Antiquities & Ethnographic Art

A Roman Marble Portrait Head of Alexander the Great

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