Greece, Greco-Roman Period, late Ptolemaic Dynasty / 100–50 BCE
Statuette of a Black African Person
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Statuette of a Black African Person as sculpture (Greece, Greco-Roman Period, late Ptolemaic Dynasty · 100–50 BCE).
The intentionally dark patina contrasts with the inlaid silver eyes and copper lips.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as bronze, solid cast, with silver and copper inlays.
The museum's collection notes: Characterized as a Black African person by his hair, facial features, and unusually dark patina, this figure wears a non-Greek type of hat and a simple garment associated with lower classes. His stooped posture suggests that he may have a physical disability, something rarely depicted in Greek art. His right foot and right hand (with bowl) are modern restorations done before the statuette came to Cleveland, perhaps in the 1800s.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtStatuette of a Black African PersonOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.