Statuette of a Beggar

100–50 BCE
Overall: 18.4 x 5.3 x 7.2 cm (7 1/4 x 2 1/16 x 2 13/16 in.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location: 102C Greek

Download, Print and Share

Description

This bronze reflects an exotic, urban setting, such as Alexandria, one of the most cosmopolitan of all classical cities and rich in cultural. It was the home of a great library and famous philosophers. Greeks, Jews, Egyptians, Africans, and Romans lived, studied, and traded there. The little goatee and curly sideburns mark this figure as a mature man rather than the child he at first seems to be. The black patina was purposely induced in antiquity by exposing the bronze to sulphide fumes. The color of the patina was heightened by inlays in contrasting silver and copper for the eyes and lips. Deformities—in this case, scoliosis of the spine—fascinated some Greek artists.
Statuette of a Beggar

Statuette of a Beggar

100–50 BCE

Greece, Greco-Roman Period, late Ptolemaic Dynasty

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.