REINTERPRETATION OF A PUBLISHED MALE PORTRAIT IN KAYSERI MUSEUM

Abstract

The most difficult question in portrait art of the Roman Imperial Period is dating of a piece of art together with questions whether it is a formal or private portrait. The discussion on the male head brought to the museum by a private person is exactly in this direction. Although it is difficult to date the piece from Kayseri, of which finding place and structure relation are unknown, based on hairstyle and physiognomical features, the period suggested by S. Sağlan is not also possible. Kayseri piece which is intended to be dated to the Traianus period based hairstyle has been compared with four portrait types of Traianus in its chronological order in my study and has been stated why it could not be dated to this period. Additionally, the sentence “Veristic/realistic physiognomy continued until the middles of II century BC starting from Vespasianus time during the Roman Imperial Period” has also been interpreted and this historical process has been evaluated within the scope of integrity. It was also supported by me that realism in the true sense in Roman Imperial Period started with the first emperor of the Flavian Dynasty but it was explained with samples that this realism was not as same as veristic physiognomy during Roman Republican Period.