Pair of eyes

5th century BCE or later
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 156
Bronze, marble, frit, quartz, and obsidian

Greek and Roman statues were designed to give a colorful lifelike impression. Marble and wood sculptures were brightly painted, and bronze statues were originally a pale fleshlike brown. Lips and nipples were often inlaid with copper, and teeth with silver. Eyes were usually made separately and set into prepared sockets. This pair, designed for an over-lifesize statue, gives a sense of the potent immediacy that ancient sculpture could convey.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Pair of eyes
  • Period: Classical
  • Date: 5th century BCE or later
  • Culture: Greek
  • Medium: Bronze, marble, frit, quartz, obsidian
  • Dimensions: maximum H. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm)
    maximum length 2in. (5.1cm)
  • Classification: Bronzes
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. Cullman Gift and Norbert Schimmel Bequest, 1991
  • Object Number: 1991.11.3a, b
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.