Pan, the god of nature, is usually represented with animal features. In this image, he has pointed ears and goats’ horns poking out of the hair over his forehead. In other respects, the features of his face have nothing bestial about them; they express a human wistfulness. The slightly parted lips and turn of the neck suggest both movement and emotion. The thick, flowing hair heightens Pan’s charisma. A wind seems to blow around him; his eyes have a visionary quality.

This image of Pan resembles portraits of Alexander the Great, who's vast empire extended half way across the globe. Alexander was born in Macedonia, in northern Greece. While still a young man, he conquered all of Greece as well as Egypt, the Near East, and the western reaches of India. Artists adapted Alexander’s features for the likenesses of gods in the generation after his death in 323 B.C.

This object is the cover of a box mirror. A circle of polished bronze inside the box would have reflected the image of the person who used it. Before looking at one's own face, one would gaze at the face of Pan, god of remote and wild places.