DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15100#0066
35
PLATE XVII.
BUST OF FEMALE, UNKNOWN.
Mr. Towneley calls this " a head of Adonis or Athys, the size of
life, partaking of the beauty and character of both sexes. The
hair is bound with broad fillets, which cross each other, and a tuft
of it appears at the summit of the head in the shape of flames.
This character of head, exactly thus ornamented, is often seen on
Etruscan vases upon the body of the animating spirit with wings.
See Ant. Etrusc. Grec. et Rom. by D'Hancarville, vol. 2. tav. 91." 1
In this view Mr. Knight seems to concur, and goes on to ob-
serve that, " though meant to represent an androgynous person-
age, in which the charms of both sexes were blended in the
freshness of early youth, there is more of vigour than voluptuous-
ness in the character; and the finishing, though exquisite, is sharp
and liny."2
Mr. Combe, whose mind was undisturbed by the visionary the-
ories, which distorted the judgments of Mr. Towneley and Mr.
Knight, considered this head to be that of some unknown female
personage, elegantly bound with broad fillets, which conceal the
greater part of the hair. Such a form of head-dress occurs so
frequently, and on figures of such different character, that in the
absence of any attribute or symbol, it would be unsafe to give
any specific name to the bust now under consideration. Hygiea/
1 Towneley MS. notes.
2 Specimens of Ancient Sculpture, by the Society of Dilettanti, i. pi. 24.
3 Ibid. i. pi. 26.
PLATE XVII.
BUST OF FEMALE, UNKNOWN.
Mr. Towneley calls this " a head of Adonis or Athys, the size of
life, partaking of the beauty and character of both sexes. The
hair is bound with broad fillets, which cross each other, and a tuft
of it appears at the summit of the head in the shape of flames.
This character of head, exactly thus ornamented, is often seen on
Etruscan vases upon the body of the animating spirit with wings.
See Ant. Etrusc. Grec. et Rom. by D'Hancarville, vol. 2. tav. 91." 1
In this view Mr. Knight seems to concur, and goes on to ob-
serve that, " though meant to represent an androgynous person-
age, in which the charms of both sexes were blended in the
freshness of early youth, there is more of vigour than voluptuous-
ness in the character; and the finishing, though exquisite, is sharp
and liny."2
Mr. Combe, whose mind was undisturbed by the visionary the-
ories, which distorted the judgments of Mr. Towneley and Mr.
Knight, considered this head to be that of some unknown female
personage, elegantly bound with broad fillets, which conceal the
greater part of the hair. Such a form of head-dress occurs so
frequently, and on figures of such different character, that in the
absence of any attribute or symbol, it would be unsafe to give
any specific name to the bust now under consideration. Hygiea/
1 Towneley MS. notes.
2 Specimens of Ancient Sculpture, by the Society of Dilettanti, i. pi. 24.
3 Ibid. i. pi. 26.