Bronze Portrait Bust of a Young Boy in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, February 2008

Bronze Portrait Bust of a Young Boy
Roman, Julio-Claudian, ca. 50-68 AD

Accession # 66.11.5

This life-sized portrait bust of a young boy, originally affixed to a herm of wood or stone, was made by a gifted sculptor who endowed it with great presence. His large soulful eyes are inlaid with silver, and his hair is arranged in thick layers of curls that even cover the backs of his ears. The boy's identity is unknown since no inscription is preserved, but the high quality of the sculpture has often led to the suggestion that he represents the emperor Nero as a child. Since Nero was already 13 years old in 50 AD, when he was adopted by his great uncle and stepfather, the emperor Claudius, it seems unlikely that he is in fact the person portrayed here. Nonetheless, the style of the bust is very much in keeping with late Julio-Claudian portraiture.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.