Female Portraiture
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Female portrait
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This life-sized portrait was once part of a full-body sculpture. The oblique cut at the base of the neck suggests that the head was sculpted separately to be fitted into the neckline of a draped figure.
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The wavy hair, parted in a well-defined central line, frames the face and is gathered into a large bun at the nape. The absence of the late Republican nodus and the refined simplicity of the hairstyle place it within the fashion trends of the Julio-Claudian period. The serene expression and restrained elegance reflect the values of gravitas and austeritas, characteristic of matronly portraits from the Early Empire.
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Hairstyling trends of the time, with voluminous buns in the late Augustan period and more elaborate styles under Claudius, suggest that this portrait dates between the late 1st century BC and the mid-1st century AD.
MAC 15090​​
Hermae
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The female Hermae of Empúries are two marble sculptures from Luni (Carrara), dating to the first half of the 1st century AD. Discovered between 1955 and 1956 near the peristyle of Domus 2B, they likely decorated the entrance of the oecus, a main room of the house.
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Following the Roman herm portrait tradition, these prismatic, frontal figures depict Roman matrons wearing a long tunic, stola, and palla, draped over the right thigh and gathered at the left shoulder. The undulating border of the palla imitates fabric weighted with lead (lacina) for a refined drape. Their heads and arms, now missing, were sculpted separately and attached with iron pins. One figure has an unfinished back, suggesting they were meant to be viewed from the front.
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Such sculptures were common in Roman homes as honorary portraits of the owners, often commissioned by slaves or freedmen. Similar examples have been found in Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vienne, Cartagena, and Nemi, where the portrait of Fundilia Rufa may offer clues to their original appearance.
MAC EMP 02554 - 02555 (Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya)
Female Portrait
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MAC 15089
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Initially, it was thought that this piece was modern, but A. García y Bellido identified it as ancient in 1948 due to its rough appearance and style similar to sculptures from northern Italy. Last analysis have confirmed its antiquity, and its attribution to a Spanish workshop.
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The style of the portrait follows the fashion of the Claudian and Neronian periods, with more elaborate hairstyles than those of earlier periods. The small curls at the sides of the forehead and the narrow bun are characteristic of this period. Although the back of the head is not carved, the hairstyle can be inferred from the traces on the nape.
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After an initial study that identified the marble as coming from Paros, a second analysis showed it resembled marble from Naxos. However, this material was not used in Hispania for local production. Recently, similarities with marble from Almadén de la Plata (Seville) have been observed.
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Female head
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This female head, likely made of Pentelic marble based on its marble characterization, is preserved down to the lower part of the neck and was part of a full-body sculpture, probably larger than life-size. It depicts a young woman crowned with a stephane, with her wavy hair neatly tied in a discreet bun at the nape. The style recalls Greek models from the 5th century BC, but with influences from the late Hellenistic period.
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The deeply defined eyes, the oval and elongated face, and the serene expression link it to Ptolemaic portraits, such as that of Berenice II, or sculptures from Hellenistic Alexandria of the 2nd century BC. Unlike these, the expression is more rigid and austere, suggesting a work from the late Ptolemaic Hellenistic period.
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The piece retains traces of polychromy, with red on the lips, black between the hair, and orange tones on the skin. This use of color has been observed in other ancient sculptures and may reveal insights into classical painting techniques. For the stephane that crowns her hair, this head could be either a princess or a goddess. It is likely to have originated from Empúries or from a private collection, many of which eventually ended up in the Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya.
MAC 19604
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Involved Museums
Museu de Badalona
Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Jaciment d'Empúries
Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Barcelona
Museu de Reus
Castell de Bellver, Palma de Mallorca
Kunsthistorisches Museum