Hellenistic Portraits, McFadden 1951George H. McFadden

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The diadem rests on the bare forehead with only a few strands of hair slipping up under it. [handwritten: front of the] The outline of the brow is [handwritten: two arcs] [handwritten: divided by a furrow] composed of two parts divided by the furrow that runs along [handwritten: petrous] [handwritten: down] the center of the brow. [handwritten: The profile] The short nose is straight down to the tip, [handwritten: and] then makes a semi-circular turn up toward the [handwritten: downward] nostrils and turns [handwritten: down] again in a large, semi-circular arch [handwritten: to] to the upper lip. The mouth is slightly open. The lips [handwritten: The chin is firm, with straight outlines] are full, [handwritten: firm,] strong and round. It projects well in front [handwritten: The] of the mouth. The eye is wide open [handwritten: the pupil fairly pro-] trudes from it giving an effect of keen and intelligent interest. The treatment here is impressionistic. A fold of fat falls across the corner of the eye. A particularly large [handwritten: arch] mass of hair sweeps in a wide arc across the temple to terminate [handwritten: /] in a counter-swing along the outline of the ear. The style is at once realistic, impressionistic and highly decorative. There is a strong sense of design throughout. It is a masterful portrait of a man somewhat past the prime of life with marked baldness over the brow. The early coin portraits of Ptolemy I vary, but the distinguishing features are realistically emphasized: the baldness; the straight nose; the fold of fat over the eye; the tuft of hair on the temple; the round, firm protruding chin. It is clear that the die-cutter is determined to represent faithfully his outstanding features. [handwritten: Continued page 6 par. 1] There is a marble head in a Carlsberg Glyptothek museum [handwritten: the NY] (Fig. 2) identified as a portrait of Ptolemy I Soter on the