Emperor Carcalla Vs. The Head Of A Ruler

Throughout history there have been rulers that have come and gone, with this alone, it sets up a challenge for the artist of the time to create a lasting piece of the ruler in a way that would stand out from all the rest. This is seen with The Head of a Ruler from 2300 to 2000 BC and The Marble Portrait of the Emperor Carcalla from 212 to 217 CE, they both were at one time a public figure of royal status, but they have their own individuality in the way these artists made them for their time and way of remembering them by. The Head of a Ruler represents a classic way of how rulers are remembered whereas The Marble Portrait of the Emperor Carcalla appears more casual and sets up a new way of portraiture, expression wise, for years to come. …show more content…
Due to the lack of eyes and the details that would have been present in them, it has the viewer absorbing the other features that suggest a portrait of an actual person. From the mans proportioned heavy-lidded eyes, to the nose, full lips, and rounded ears their gives a sense of realism. The shape of the nose, eyes and eyebrows provide a type of ethnicity from that time period. There are cracks that run along the right side of the rusty cheek and various spots along the eye lids and forehead which provides a rough overall appearance. Although there are cracks, there are details under the eyes and in the facial hair this man has. There are creases under the eye that act as wrinkles and thin lines around the mouth differentiating the hair thickness from that of the bolder beard that is all around the face. From the top of the head to the middle of the cheeks, it is very rounded. The lower half of this piece becomes more triangular, as if it were to be connected to some support for display in a setting such as a temple. Color wise, it has an earthy green tone with specs of gold …show more content…
He has furrowed brows, causing deep creases in his forehead portraying a look of intimidation. His eyes are not detailed, they are simple against the rest of the facial features. Although in various places the marble is chipped away, the viewer is still able to recognize the realism of the man. The head shape has more of a block-like form, more rectangular than circular and is facing on an angle. Carcalla does not have the vigorous hair and beard of his ancestors but instead a military style which is shown by the stubbled beard and very closely cropped curls. The line work shows the difference in the hair on his face compared to that on his head. His beard has is portrayed by thin lines that are close together. The hair on his head has a proper use of curves and spacing to portray his curls. The overall piece is smooth, with the exception of the “negative carving” of the hair, but it shows no roughness. Color wise, it has a white, tan tone which is seen a great deal throughout that time period because of the cultures large use of