The Kouros figure is representative not of a specific youth, but of the conceptualisation of youth itself. The motif became common place in Archaic Greece where the figures were used as votive dedications and funerary monuments. The Kouros embodied many of the ideals of high society at the time, such as the overlap between physical beauty and moral goodness, summarised in the Greek term ‘Kalokagathia’ meaning beautiful and noble. The iconography of the perfect male youth figure, in typical form standing and looking straight ahead, remained popular and was often replicated later by the Romans.
Roman Marble Bust of a Kouros
$4,997.69
An elegantly carved bust of a Kouros featuring soft facial features and typical layers of curled hair, framing his face. The figure is looking straight ahead, with an upright posture. The face displays almond shaped eyes with a pronounced brow bone along with high cheekbones, a proportionate nose, full lips, and a softly rounded jaw. The long neck leads to the beginnings of a garment. The reverse of the bust is flattened and unadorned. The bust appears to have been part of a larger statue as the base is roughly truncated. There is now a large chip to the chin, exposing the natural characteristics of the marble. The piece is covered in an orange-coloured encrustation, with areas of the cream marble showing through underneath.
The bust comes with a custom-fitted block mount.
Dimensions: With Mount – 27cm x 13cm x 9.5cm
Without Mount – 22cm x 13cm x 9.5cm
Provenance: Ex Paris Collection. French gallery, Paris, 1990 - 2000's.
Condition: Very fine condition. There are some large areas of irregularity, around the reverse, sides, and front left shoulder, where slight damage has occurred in antiquity. The piece is covered in an orange-coloured encrustation.
In stock
| Weight | 4100 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | L 13.0 x W 9.5 x H 27.0 cm |
| Culture | |
| Region | |
| Stone |
