Restituted in September 2022 This work of art has been removed from the Museum's permanent collection. Learn more about The Met's collecting practices.
Marble head of Athena
Not on view
The dynamic movement and passionate expression of this colossal head mark it as a rare example of monumental art from the late third to the second century B.C., when an exaggerated baroque style prevailed in some areas of the Mediterranean. The goddess originally wore a helmet of marble or bronze, added separately. The ears are pierced for metal earrings. The head comes from an over-life-sized statue that possibly represented the goddess striding forward. The statue may have stood outdoors, as a monumental votive image of the warrior goddess in her role as protectress of a city rather than within a temple as a cult statue.
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