Caption

Head of Menelaus from the Menelaus Carrying the Body of Patroclus group, unknown artist. Head of a bearded man wearing a helmet, with an expressive face shown by wide-open eyes and parted mouth, emphasized by chiaroscuro effects from the contrast between lush locks of beard and hair emerging from under the helmet and the smooth skin of the face. This is the face of a man experiencing dramatic moments. The helmet is adorned with relief decoration depicting fantastic creatures: on each side a centaur fighting a Greek, and below, on the edge, a triton figurine. The sculpture is a Roman copy of the head from a Hellenistic bronze composition depicting Menelaus with the body of Patroclus. Menelaus, Helen's husband, is the first to fight to retrieve the deceased's body and then carries it from the battlefield for burial; the death of Patroclus, Achilles' friend, is an important moment in the Trojan War as it brings Achilles back into the fight. This theme was frequently reproduced in Roman sculpture. Dated broadly to the 1st half of the 2nd century AD reign of Hadrian, 117–138. Roman Empire, sculpture, weight 78.5 kg., A carved stone head of a bearded man displayed on a rounded pedestal, the sculpture showing detailed wavy hair and a full curly beard, an open mouth and carved eyes, with a head covering that folds around the hair; the stone appears in shades of white and light gray with darker gray veining and some weathered spots, set against a solid mid gray background.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A18_469

License type

Rights managed

Available size

62.3Mb (1.7Mb) / 12.1in x 20.0in / 3630 x 6000 (300dpi)

Keywords

Head Menelaus Menelaus Carrying Body Patroclus group unknown artist bearded man wearing helmet expressive face shown wide-open eyes parted mouth emphasized chiaroscuro effects contrast lush locks beard hair emerging under smooth skin face man experiencing dramatic moments adorned relief decoration depicting fantastic creatures side centaur fighting Greek edge triton figurine sculpture Roman copy head Hellenistic bronze composition body Patroclus Helen's husband first fight retrieve deceased's body carries battlefield burial death Achilles friend important moment Trojan War brings Achilles back theme was frequently reproduced Roman sculpture Dated broadly 1st half 2nd century AD reign Hadrian 117–138 Roman Empire weight 78.5 kg carved stone head bearded man displayed rounded pedestal showing detailed wavy hair full curly beard open mouth carved eyes head covering folds hair stone shades white light gray darker gray veining weathered spots set solid mid gray background.