The marble head from which this plaster cast was made, broken from a life-size statue of Alexander the Great, was found in 1886 near the Erechtheion on the Acropolis in Athens and dated to about 336 BCE.
Understanding the political value of representations that made him seem heroic or even godlike, Alexander is believed to have tightly controlled the making of images of himself, even appointing the artists commissioned to make official portraits. He was often represented with symbols that connected him to his divine heritage – for example, the lionskin of Heracles or the horns of the god Zeus Ammon.
This head lacks any overt divine symbols but, like many later portraits, it does emphasise Alexander’s youth, conveying strength and vitality. The eyes are deep set under strong brows, gazing slightly upwards as if contemplating greater things to come, and framed by an elaborate hairdo styled like the mane of a lion, the king of beasts and source of Heracles’ signature accessory. It is an image of infinite potential.
