Head of Alexander the Great

3rd Century BC

Head of Alexander the Great, 3rd Century BC. Greece, Alexandria, Hellenistic. Marble; overall: 26.5 x 14.5 x 13.8 cm (10 7/16 x 5 11/16 x 5 7/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Ralph King 1927.209 Slightly smaller than life-size, this head of Alexander the Great features a slight turn, tilt, and upward gaze said to have characterized the young conqueror's posture in life. After his death, Alexander was worshiped as a god; posthumous portraits like this one, likely carved in Ptolemaic Egypt, portray him with long hair and youthful, idealized features. Portraits of Alexander the Great share his characteristic anastole hairstyle, parted off-center and swept back from the forehead.