Getty Museum

Head from a Figure (Late Spedos Variety)

Date

2800–2200 B.C.

Medium

Naxian marble

Culture

Cycladic

Department

Sculpture

Institution

Getty Museum

The pigments that originally colored Cycladic sculpture rarely survive, but evidence of their use can be detected on the marble surface. On this head, areas once painted to represent locks of hair have resisted weathering and are lighter in color and slightly raised. These well-preserved “paint ghosts,” visible as long curls along the side of the face and the back of the head, were protected from erosion by the original pigment.Sculptors living on different islands produced marble figurines in a similar style but with distinctive variations. The recognition of different artistic personalities in Cycladic sculpture is based upon recurring systems of proportion and details of execution. This figure is considered to be an early example of the Goulandris Master, who was active sometime in the period from 2500 to 2400 B.C. He is the most prolific Cycladic sculptor known to scholars, and over fifty surviving figures can be assigned to him. All of the figures display distinctive features of the artist's style: a rounded back; strongly sloping shoulders; small, widely spaced breasts; and a line running across the abdomen forming the top of the pubic triangle. Like all artists in this early period, the Goulandris Master's real name is unknown, and he is identified only by the style of his work. The sculptor takes his name from the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, Greece, which contains several of his works. The role and meaning of these figures in Cycladic culture is not known. While they have been found almost exclusively in graves placed on their backs, it is not clear whether they were made specifically for burials. On some examples, the painted decoration has been refreshed, suggesting that the images were in use for a long period of time before being buried. Additionally, a few examples also come from sanctuaries, and would have served a ritual function. Since they could not stand, they may have been held upright in social or religious activities, such as processions.

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