Marble head of Herakles

1st century CE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 171
Small-scale copy of a Greek statue of the early 3rd century B.C.

The Greek hero, Herakles, is shown as a beardless young man with sideburns. He has cauliflower ears-disfigured by boxing--and a victory wreath around his head. The head bears a strong resemblance to a group of Roman works, known as the Lenback type, that probably reflect more or less closely a Greek bronze statue of the early Hellenistic period.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Marble head of Herakles
  • Period: Early Imperial
  • Date: 1st century CE
  • Culture: Roman
  • Medium: Marble
  • Dimensions: H. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)
  • Classification: Stone Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1928
  • Object Number: 28.57.1
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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