Head of Apollo

Head of Apollo recognised as the popular type known as Apollo Lykeios, a statue made by Praxiteles and described by Lucian as being in the Lykeion in Athens. The statue was popular because it represented Apollo as a youthful male, relaxed and simple in representation. The head lacks the main feature of the popular statue, the right arm resting on top of the head but has the characteristic hairstyle. The head turns to the right, his lips are parted. The most distinct feature of the head is his hairstyle with the topknot. He is young but not that effeminine compared to statues such as the Apollo the Belvedere. The head has had extensive restorations which make it diffiult to date but it is probably of the Early Imprerial Roman period. Bartman noted that despite the lack of provenance for the head it probably originated from Rome and that it is similar to the statue in the British Museum, one in the Palazzo Mattei and a torso in the Borghese. The Ince head may have belonged to the Borghese torso which belonged to the Mattei but was restored falsely with the head of Augustus. The bust is ancient but alien to the head and wears a paludamemtum which is secured on the right shoulder with a large brooch. The intermediate piece of the the neck and the collarbone was a later restoration. Restorations are also on the nose and upper lip with the chin being added. There is breakage at the top of the head where the right arm would have been attached. There is some reworking in the area that separated the hair from the face and triangle of the hairknot above the forehead.