Male Bust

Male head fitted onto a bust. The man is of middle age, he has a slightly angular face looking down and to the right, a strong nose and deep grooves on his face. His eyes are deep set and covered by a frowning brow. His expression is austere and he has wrinkles on his forehead. His hair is short and tousled with a characteristic S-shape locks at the forehead. Based on these features Bernard Ashmole identified the head as one of the Menander. The original Greek portrait was said to have been created by the Hellenistic Greek sculptor Kephisodotus together with Timarchos. Ashmole considered the Ince example close to the Vatican one and much harsher than the same type as 59.148.177. Menander was an Athenian comedy writer (342 BC - 290 BC) who wrote about 105 plays. He received greater esteem after his death and considered to be equal to Homer. He was a popular sculpture head used by the Romans to emphasise their links to Hellenistic rulers and to promote their status as men of learning.