Statue of a Young Boy

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Representations of children were popular in both public and private art during the Roman imperial period. It is uncertain whether this statue is a portrait of a specific child or was inspired by a basic type that had originated among the Greeks several centuries earlier. The boy, who has a head of curly hair, rounded cheeks, and a pudgy belly, gazes downward and to the side. It is possible that he is admiring a pet at his feet, as Roman statues of children frequently depict them with companion animals such as geese, doves, and puppies.

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