Roman
Head of a Goddess, 1st century - 2nd century
Pentelic marble, 27.9 x 20.3 x 19.1 cm (11 x 8 x 7 1/2 in.)
This statue of the head of a goddess is carved of off-white marble. There is a row of tight, circular curls along her hairline. Her hair sits almost on top of these circles, giving it a sudden depth that makes it appear almost like a headpiece. Her hair is given texture with dense wavy lines that part in the center. She wears a headband that is decorated with a row of circular flower shapes. She has large eye sockets, though the eyeballs themselves are missing. Her nose is also large, and the tip of her nose is broken off. The statue sits atop a simple cylindrical dark brown base.
Raphael Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.