Statue of 'Faustina the Elder'

White marble portrait of a woman, often identified as Faustina the Elder, restored with statue of black marble. The head did not originally belong to the body and seems to have been re-cut to fit into the veil, which forms part of the cloak. The front hair is combed backwards in crimped waves from either side of a central parting, leaving the ears free. It falls low over the forehead and forms an almost straight hair line The face and hairstyle is of the Severe style of portraiture. The hairstyle is of the tower type similar to the one worn by Faustina Maior. The body of the statue copies a Hellenistic type and is dated by Kruse to the early Antonine period (Hadrianic or early Antonine 120-150 AD).The hand and both feet which poke out of the clothing are restorations, as is some of the drapery itself. The statue has been damaged at the waist and at the base of the veil, and there are large scratches on the back.