This style of bronze appliqué is well attested in Roman imperial artwork, yet each such piece is unique in its dedication to this style. Such objects were often attached to larger works of art, such as furniture or other home adornments. The elements with which the appliqué would be attached are evident at the rear of the piece, as well as in the ring at the base of the item’s front. Around her neck she wears a simple pendant, and her countenance is stoic and proud.In this depiction, Athena, or Minerva as the Romans called her, conforms to traditional iconography in which she wears a classical Greek helmet of the Corinthian variety, bearing a tall crest, perhaps imagined by the artist as made of feathers or horsehair. Interestingly, her lips bear a red color from the patina that has come to rest upon the bronze, as if it were applied through cosmetics in an attempt to accentuate her attractiveness and rival the beauty of Aphrodite.

Antiquities
Ancient Roman