Head of a Bearded Man at the Getty Villa, Los Angeles

myminifactory

The older man with a short beard locks eyes with the viewer in an intense stare, his furrowed brow a testament to his rugged individuality. This portrait belongs to a larger category of Hellenistic portraiture that emerged in the wake of Alexander the Great's conquests: images of powerful rulers that served as propaganda tools to legitimize their authority and emphasize dynastic ties. Designed to evoke an air of grandeur, these portraits often feature idealized features that blur the lines between reality and artifice. However, this particular portrait stands out with its unique characteristics - a bump on his nose, a square jawline, and deep folds between his cheek and mouth - which capture the subject's distinct personality. This head, once part of a larger-than-life full-length statue, now serves as a poignant reminder of the artist's skill and the subject's importance. The use of grayish marble, characteristic of sculptures from the Hellenistic kingdom of Pergamon, further underscores the artwork's significance. Since the figure doesn't wear a diadem, it's unlikely he was a ruler when the statue was erected; nonetheless, his regal bearing and imposing scale suggest that he's a member of a royal family, possibly hailing from Pergamon. This object is part of "Scan The World," a groundbreaking initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe. Scan the World is an open-source community effort, inviting anyone with interesting items to contribute and help build this vast repository. Scanned using photogrammetry and processed with Agisoft PhotoScan technology.