The young woman in this lovely Roman portrait may be Crispina, who married the Emperor Commodus in 177 A.D. The identification is based on comparison to portraits on coins that bear her name. Her hair is parted in the middle and gathered at the back above her neck. This particular hairstyle was the fashion worn by ladies of the imperial court during the late second century A.D. The sculptor drilled holes to make concave spaces in the eyes for bone, shell, gold, or silver pupils, common in sculptures made at this time.
-from Ancient Art of the Mediterranean, an MIA-produced Interactive Multimedia Program for the Ancient Art Gallery
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<P>The young woman in this lovely Roman portrait may be Crispina, who married the Emperor Commodus in 177 A.D. The identification is based on comparison to portraits on coins that bear her name. Her hair is parted in the middle and gathered at the back above her neck. This particular hairstyle was the fashion worn by ladies of the imperial court during the late second century A.D. The sculptor drilled holes to make concave spaces in the eyes for bone, shell, gold, or silver pupils, common in sculptures made at this time.</P><P>-from Ancient Art of the Mediterranean, an MIA-produced Interactive Multimedia Program for the Ancient Art Gallery</P>
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