Head of young boy (inv. no. 24-03-26-115)

Item

Other Media
24-03-26-115_fig. 1

Description
The fragment preserves only the back portion of the hairstyle, distinguished by long, smooth locks with gently wavy ends, separated from one another by drill-cut grooves. It probably belongs to a children or an Erote.

Artwork

Typology
Ideal sculpture
Definition
Head of young boy (inv. no. 24-03-26-115)
Collection
Dougga, storerooms
Inventory number
24-03-26-115
Provenance
Unknown
Date
Second half of the 2nd century C.E.
Material
White marble, slightly translucent and coarse-grained, with a faint greyish tone, similar to Pentelic marble
Dimensions
H 12,5 cm

Analytical results

Analytical methods
VIL
VIS
UV
MO VIS
MO UV
Imaging
Videomicroscopic observation (11 analysis points) reveals a thick white-yellow preparatory layer, particularly well preserved in the recesses of the locks and on the skin of the neck in the lower right area. Orange traces on the top of the skull and brown traces at the level of the occiput are also documented

Polychromy technique

Under painting traces
no
Pigments
Brown, orange, and yellow
Binder
n.d.
Stratigraphy
Whitish-yellow preparatory layer
Shading
A darker tone in the recesses of the locks.
Metallic traces
Tools marks
no
Background colour
no
Apparent marble parts
no
Restorations
no
Polychromy technique
A thick white preparatory layer underlies the colours, which serve to distinguish the hair—rendered as a bright blond—from the face, while respecting anatomical features and shadow effects.

Polychromy type

Anthropomorphic/realistic
Polychromy type
The polychrome rendering appears to follow a visual code that imitates and respects natural appearance.