Bust of a Bearded Man in the Getty Villa, July 2008

Bust of a Bearded Man
Roman, about 215 AD
Marble

Inventory # 73.AA.42

Private citizens often modeled their own portraits after the emperor in power. The distinctive facial proportions, the closely cropped hair and beard, and the somber expression of this bust are all seen in images of the emperor Caracalla (ruled 211-217 AD). The large eyes with the deeply drilled, crescent-shaped pupils placed high in the irises are characteristic of sculptures carved during his reign.

Text from the Getty Villa museum label.