Art Funded by you

Bust of a Zeus Serapis

Unknown artist, late 1st century

The bust, said to be from Alexandria, is in excellent condition with a fine, dark-green patination. The shape points to a date in the second half of the first century AD, but the head reproduces a sculptural type of the fourth century BC which has been plausibly attributed to Bryaxis, one of the artists who worked on the Mausoleum. The prototype represented Zeus, but, given its Egyptian provenance, this bronze is more likely to represent the Alexandrian deity Serapis, who is often iconographically indistinguishable from Zeus.

More information

Title of artwork, date

Bust of a Zeus Serapis, late 1st century

Date supported

1970

Medium and material

Bronze

Dimensions

19 cm

Grant

1000

Total cost

3500

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

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