Head of Augustus

Roman Period, Augustus

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 137


Once part of a statue or a portrait bust, this faience head is from Egypt, perhaps near Memphis, where a cult devoted to the emperor Augustus existed in the early Roman period. The vibrant blue-green color of faience—a glass-like material of fused quartz, alkaline salts, lime, and mineral-based colorants—held symbolic associations with regeneration in Egypt. Its use for the head of Augustus represents a confluence of Roman and Egyptian traditions.

Head of Augustus, Faience

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

3/4 view

Head of Augustus, Faience
Head of Augustus, Faience
Head of Augustus, Faience
Head of Augustus, Faience
Head of Augustus, Faience
Head of Augustus, Faience

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.