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. The face conveys 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 so it can be buried according to ritual. The death of Patroclus, Achilles' friend, is a pivotal moment in the Trojan War, bringing Achilles back into the fight and affecting the war's outcome. Frequently reproduced in Roman sculpture. Date: 117–138 AD broader dating: 1st half of the 2nd century AD, Roman Empire, sculpture; weight 78.5 kg., A carved stone bust of a bearded man shown in profile on a round pedestal, rendered in shades of gray and off-white; the headwear features raised relief scenes with figures and animals, and the hair and beard are depicted with detailed curls and waves; the surface shows varied texture with smoother areas on the face and rougher, weathered carving on the hat and base; overall colors visible are gray, light gray, and off-white.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A18_473

License type

Rights managed

Available size

71.4Mb (3.4Mb) / 13.9in x 20.0in / 4161 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 conveys 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 buried according ritual death Achilles friend pivotal moment Trojan War bringing Achilles back affecting war's outcome Frequently reproduced Roman sculpture Date 117–138 AD broader dating 1st half 2nd century AD Roman Empire weight 78.5 kg carved stone bust bearded man shown profile round pedestal rendered shades gray off-white headwear features raised relief scenes figures animals hair depicted detailed curls waves surface varied texture smoother areas rougher weathered carving hat base colors visible light gray off-white.