1

Eros Head
by Alexandra S. Drenka

Head of Eros
Baniyas
Marble
The second half of the 2
nd
century AD
Roman copy of the Hellenistic original
IAA 2000-3395
Locus 181001, Basket 1810009




Fig.1: Baniyas, Head of Eros. Front view. Extensive traces of diverse shades of pink
pigment in the proximity of the eyes and forehead.
2

The head is carved in crystalline white marble and is broken off at the top of the
neck (Fig.1). The preserved height is 18.5 cm. It is slightly under life-size. The head with
carefully executed facial details and elaborate hairstyle, portrays a child with a self
contented smile. It is in almost perfect condition, with only minor chips on the chin, lips,
cheeks, top of the nose and the left eye, and with extensive surface incrustation on the
right and rear sides.
The surface of the statue is well polished, except for the back which is roughly
executed. The facial features are fully sculptured and skillfully emphasize subjects
youthfulness. The slightly asymmetrical proportions and composition of the facial details
create an impression of particular contentment. The expression of joy is embodied not
only in the gentle smile, but also in the general movement of the features. A subtle
distortion of the face, caused by the smile, reveals the childs spiritual enjoyment. This
was achieved by carving the corners of the mouth moderately deeper and tilted upwards,
slightly raising the cheeks and forming a small broad nose. The mouth is well defined by
a hole drilled at either corner, with a groove between the full lips. The eyes are slightly
asymmetrically positioned, the right eye set slightly deeper. They are carved in elaborate
detail: the pupils are drilled and the tear-ducts are indicated by drill-holes at the inner
corners. The division of the upper from the lower forehead is marked by a shallow
groove. The right ear is fully defined; the location of the left one is only roughed out, and
for the most part covered by fully-formed curls. The short and wavy hair is articulated by

3












Fig.2: Left side view. The hair is endowed with thick curls rendered with care and
precision.

separated locks, executed with more or less pronounced grooves and incisions. The
rendering of the sides and the back of the head is notably distinct. The left (Fig.2) side is
generously endowed with thicker curls and modeled with care and precision, while the
right side (Fig.3) is executed in a more shallow relief. The hair at the back is only roughly
outlined. In other words, the chisel strokes become progressively rougher towards the
back of the head, where the hair is only suggested by shallow grooves and even tool
marks alone (Figs.4, 5). The two symmetrically arranged single locks on each side of the
forehead and cheeks are in sharp contrast to the disordered hair. Especially distinctive is
an elaborate braid on top of the head (Fig.6). At the center of the forehead, the hair is
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Fig.3: Right side view. The hair is indicated by wavy shallow grooves, suggesting that the
right side of the statue was originally concealed or not meant to be viewed in strict
frontality.

symmetrically parted, pulled back, gathered into a narrow flat horizontal band and then
neatly arranged in a braid which tapers sharply, turning to the left, and ending at the top
of the head. Of special interest is the absence of deep drill-work in rendering of the hair,
since one of the characteristics of the sculptural assemblage found at Baniyas so far is
"emphatic and plentiful drill-work in hair, beards and drapery" (Friedland 1999:9).
1

Only a small portion of the neck is preserved, not enough to define the general
posture of the statue. However, a slanting protrusion from the right side of the neck may
indicate a slight inclination to the right. An unusual ridge near the break on the left side
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suggests the presence of some, now missing, additional feature.
The naturalistic character of this exquisitely carved portrait was originally
enhanced by the use of color. The considerable traces of diverse shades of pink pigment
are particularly preserved in the proximity of the eyes and forehead. They provide strong
evidence for polychrome in the original appearance of the statue.
2
The application of
color was the masters last touch, employed to complete the natural look of the image.
The principal characteristics of the Baniyas head the naturalism in modeling, the
skillful distinction of age and the intense emotional content - associate it with a class of
marble statuary that mirrors the Hellenistic manner, while the craftsmanship reveals the
criteria of the early Roman Imperial period.
Fig.4: Rear-left view. Note the differentiated
rendering of the left and rear sides: the chisel
strokes become progressively rougher towards
the back of the head.
Fig.5: Rear-right view: The hair is only
suggested by shallow grooves and incisions.

6

Fig.6: Top view: An elaborate braid over the top of the head appears frequently in Eros
representations.

The distinct naturalism and desire to reveal a subjects true nature and personal
emotion and experience link the Baniyas head with its Hellenistic archetype. It seems
likely that the slight distortion and asymmetry of the facial features observed in the
Baniyas head reflect the approach in modeling which emphasizes proportions "as they
appear to be" (Pliny NH 34:65). Such naturalism points to the sculptural style initiated by
Lysippos, who had a major influence on figural forms and types in the 4
th
century BC,
and beyond (Pliny NH 34:61-65, 34:153; Pollitt 1972:174-94; Pollitt 1974:14-22; Stewart
1978:163-71; Stewart 1990:80, 186-7, 228-9). It is believed that Lysippos was the first
sculptor who deliberately set out to capture the character of his subject (Pollitt
1986:65-6; Richter 1970:228-9). In addition to the general appearance of the Baniyas
7
head, the Lysippean stylistic approach is manifested in the slender proportions and the
rendering of details, such as the deeper setting of the eyes and the division between upper
and lower forehead.
In the absence of any secure context, the identification and dating of the head must
rely entirely upon the subject matter, the stylistic and technical features, and the
associated parallels. Even though the determining attributes were lost with the rest of the
statue, the identity of the Baniyas head may be discerned from the personality so vividly
imprinted in the image. The most plausible and perhaps the only identification for this
child with its self-pleased smile is Eros, known to the Romans as Cupid. As a god of
love, and also a cosmic god of procreation who emerged self born at the beginning of
time (Hesiod Theogony 11:116-138), Eros is usually conceived as a handsome youth or
a young boy. He was often portrayed as a disobedient child who enjoys disturbing the
hearts of gods and humans. As such the Baniyas head as well can be comprehended.
Another, more palpable hint in support of Eros recognition is the distinctive braid on top
of the head, a hair arrangement common in statues of Eros (Romano 2006:134,
cat.no.69). Even though such a hair-style appears frequently in Eros representations, and
could be regarded as a part of the gods conventional depiction, it does not belong to a
category of determining attributes since a similar coiffure is customarily used in portraits
of children and infants.
3
However, the fact that the only Graeco-Roman portraits that
exhibit signs of happiness are those of Eros, satyrs, nymphs and children (Bieber
1961:figs. 546, 582, 567)
4
further supports the Eros identification.
The message conveyed by Eros was a subject much favoured throughout antiquity,
from the Classical period until the end of the Late Roman. This is attested by a large
8
number of Eros representations in various media: painted vases, terracottas, bronze and
marble statuary, etc. Of special interest is the change in the envisionment of Eros in the
course of time: in the Classical period he was portrayed as a young man, in the
Hellenistic as a youth or child, and by the Late Roman period the standard image of Eros
was a chubby infant. It should be stressed that the accurate depiction of children was not
common before the 4
th
century BC. It is assumed that his [Eros] progressive diminution
in size was the natural outcome of fourth-century [BC.] art with its well-defined penchant
for youth and beauty (Cook 1925:1045). With the passing of time this tendency
continued until a greatly exaggerated reduction of proportions turned the final
conventional image of Eros in the Late Roman period into a short and chubby figure.
Keeping this development in mind, it is most likely that the prototype of the Baniyas Eros
can be found in an Eros statue dated not before the second half of the 4
th
century BC.
In Graeco-Roman art the favorite types of Eros were those of a winged boy,
engaged in various games from whom neither gods nor men were safe (Hesiod
Theogony 116-122). Eros personified the very ancient belief in the soul as a tiny winged
form sent forth from the lover to compass his desires. (Cook 1925:1045). As such, he
was often portrayed aquipped with bow and arrow or torch.
5
The best examples of this
type are in the collections of the British Museum (London, Acc. No. 51728001) and the
Museo Capitolino (Rome, MC 0410). These statues display variations of the same figural
type, representing Eros as a winged god stringing his bow. They are Roman copies of the
bronze original cast by Lysippus ca 338 - 335 BC, and are dated to the 1
st
- 2
nd
century
AD. The Baniyas head exhibits considerable resemblance to this group of sculptures,
especially notable in the soft forms, distinctive proportions and hair-rendering. This type
9
of Eros statue generally features a figure inclined to the right. As described above, the
less refined modeling of the right side of the Baniyas head indicates that the figure was
not strictly frontal i.e. that it was indeed slightly inclined to the right, as in the examples
adduced above.
The closest parallel to the Baniyas head was the statue of Eros found in Hatra
(National Museum of Iraq, Inv.no. IM 73041).
6
The Hatra Eros was a Roman copy of the
4
th
century B.C. Greek original, dated to c. 160 AD, and possibly imported from a Roman
workshop in Antioch, Syria (Basmachi 1976:cat.no.201, Bogdanos 2005:508, Valtz Fino
2005:147).
The cursory treatment of the right side of the Baniyas head suggests that the statue
may have been part of a composition where the Eros was in close proximity to an
adjacent figure and occupied the left side of the pediment. The expected figure to his
right was the goddess Aphrodite, whose loyal companion he was throughout Greek myth
and cult. The abundant of replicas of this sculptural type speak of its widespread
popularity.
The iconography of Eros also comprises figures showing the deity engaged in
various games with animals. For example, riding a dolphin a form in which his aquatic
character is exhibited (Gresht 2001:71), or seated on a ram - the ram symbolizing a strong
sexual disposition, etc. The latter subject was especially favored in Cyprus and is closely
related to the cult of Aphrodite (Karageorghis 1989:111). Since only the head of the
Baniyas Eros has survived, there is no evidence for this sculptural type and it can only be
suggested as one of the standard type of his representation.
10
The stylistic and technical features observed in the head of the Baniyas Eros,
particularly the surface polish, the rendering of the eyes and the absence of deep drilled
grooves in the modeling of the hair, indicate the date of the Baniyas head as the second
half of the 2
nd
century AD.


References


Basmachi, F. 1976. Treausures of the Iraq Museum. Baghdad, Directorate General of
antiquities.
Bieber, M. 1961. The Sculpture of the Hellenistic Age. New York, Columbia University
Press.
Bogdanos, M. 2005. "The Casualities of War: The Truth About the Iraq Museum", AJA
109, No. 3, pp. 477-526.
Comstock, M.B. and Vermeule, 1976. Sculpture in Stone: The Greek, Roman and
Etruscan Collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Cook, A.B. 1925. Zeus. A Study in Ancient Religion.Vol II, Zeus God of the Dark Sky
(Thunder and Lightning), Cambridge University Press.

Friedland, E. 1999. "Greco-Roman sculpture in the Levant: the marbles from the
Sanctuary of Pan at Caesarea Philippi (Banias)", in: The Roman and Byzantine Near
East, Vol. 2, Rhode Island, Journal of Roman Archaeology, pp. 7-23.

Gersht,R. 2001. "Aquatic Figure Types from Caesarea-Maritima", Assaph, Studies in Art
History, Vol. 6 , Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv University, pp. 63-90.

Hesiod, Theogony.

Holloway, R.R 2008. The Painting of Ancient Sculpture, AJA 112, No. 2, pp. 347-351.

Karageorghis, V. 1989. The Cyprus Museum, Nicosia.

Khn, H. 1960. "Detection and Identification of Waxes, including Punic Wax, by Infra-
Red Spectrography", Studies in Conservation 5, No. 2. London, International Institute for
Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, pp. 71-81.
11

Pliny the Elder. Naturalis Historia.

Pollitt, J.J. 1972. Art and Experience in Classical Greece. Cambridge University Press.

Pollitt, J.J. 1974. The Ancient View of Greek Art. Criticism, History, and Terminology. New
Haven. Yale University Press.

Pollitt, J.J. 1986. Art in the Hellenistic Age. Cambridge University Press.

Plutarch. Quaestiones Romanae.
Pryce, F. D.1928. Catalogue of Early Greek Sculpture in the Department of Greek and
Roman Antiquities, London, British Museum.

Richter, G. M. A. 1928. "Were the Nude Parts in Greek Marble Sculpture Painted?",
Metropolitan Museum Studies, 1, No. 1, pp. 25-31.

Richter, G. M. A., Hall, Lindsley F. 1944. "Polychromy in Greek Sculpture". The
Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New Series, Vol. 2, No. 8. pp. 233-240.

Richter, G. M. A. 1970. The Sculpture and Sculptors of the Greeks. 4
th
ed. New Haven,
Yale University Press. London.

Ridgway, B.S. 2001. Hellenistic Sculpture I: The Styles of ca. 331-200 B.C., Medison,
The University of Wisconsin Press.

Romano, D.G. and Romano, I.B. 1999. Catalogue of the Classical Collections of the
Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, Piccari Press Inc.

Romano, I.B. 2006. Classical Sculpture: Catalogue of the Cypriot, Greek and Roman
Sculpture in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology,
University Museum Monograph.

Stewart, A.F. 1978. "Lysippan Studies, I. The only creator of beauty", AJA 82, pp.163-171.

Stewart, A.F. 1990. Greek Sculpture: An Exploration. Vol. 1. New Haven.

Valtz Fino, E. 2005. "The Wake of Alexander the Great", in: The Looting of the Iraq
Museum, Baghdad, the lost legacy of ancient Mesopotamia, eds. M. Polk and A.
Schuster; New York, Abrams, pp 147-71.

Vitruvius. De architectura.

Walters, H. B.1903. Catalogue of Terracottas in the Department of Greek and Roman
Antiquities, London, British Museum.


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Notes


1
The sculptures from the Baniyas sanctuary were studied and published by E.A. Friedland. For
comprehensive discussion see Friedland 1999.
2
The numerous instances of polychrome sculptures reflect an accepted convention in the final treatment of
sculptures throughout antiquity. It is believed that painted statuary was introduced in the Archaic period,
and that by the 4
th
century B.C., it was established as a regular practice, later adopted by the Romans. The
custom was not restricted to marble statuary, but was also applied to limestone and terracotta figures,
monumental reliefs, and architectural elements. For more elaborate discussion on the subject see: Richter
1928, 1944; Walters 1903; Pryce 1928, Holloway 2008. In addition to the evidence for polychrome on
monuments, we have also inherited the eloquent literary testimonies by contemporary writers Vitruvius (De
Achitectura VII.9.4), Pliny the Elder (Naturalis Historia 21:49, 33:122) and Plutarch (Quaestiones
Romanae 287D). From their accounts we learn about the original look of the sculptures and the technical
methods, such as the ganosis () and the Punic wax a protective coating applied over the color on
sculptures and architectural elements. For a detailed discussion of the matter see Khn 1960.

3
For various discussions of this hair style see also: Comstock and Varmeule 1976:212-3, and. Romano and
Romano 1999:9-10.

4
For example, in Bieber 1961: smiling child, Fig. 546, the head of a satyr, Fig. 582 and the head of a
nymph, Fig. and 567.

5
It is said that the earliest-known example of Eros stringing his bow appeared on a Red Figure lekythos by
the Brygos Painter, ca. 480 (Ridgway 2001:100, note 6).

6
Tragically, the statue was smashed to pieces and the head stolen during the looting of the National
Museum of Iraq in 2003.