Portrait of Matidia Minor at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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This head belonged to a stunning portrait statue of Matidia Minor, a renowned figure from ancient Rome. Born in A.D. 85 and passing away in 162, Matidia was the half-sister of Sabina, wife of Emperor Hadrian, and aunt of Emperor Antoninus Pius. Five other replicas of this iconic portrait type have been discovered, with one recently unearthed in a Roman theater at Suessa Aurunca, a town in Campania where she made significant contributions as a major benefactor. Typically, members of the imperial family are depicted with idealized, youthful features and intricate hairstyles, such as Matidia's elaborate coiffure adorned with braided hairpieces. Her piercing gaze is a characteristic trait found in portraits from the Antonine period onwards. This object is part of "Scan The World", a groundbreaking initiative launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital library of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, and if you have interesting items nearby that you'd like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate. Scanned using photogrammetry (Processed with Agisoft PhotoScan)