Head of a Philosopher

The Head of a Philosopher is a fragment of a bronze sculpture of Magna Graecia, discovered in 1969 on a shipwreck in the Straits of Messina.^[1] It is now in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria, Italy.

The Head of a Philosopher

The wreck dates to the end of the fifth century.^[2] The date of the Porticello bronze head is uncertain: Alain Pasquier dates it to c.460–440 BC,^[3] but Enrico Paribeni suggests the late fourth or early third century.^[4] In order to reconcile this later date with the late-fifth century context of the shipwreck, it has been suggested that there were in fact two wrecks, one earlier and one later.^[4] Brunilde Ridgway rejects this suggestion, noting that other bronze fragments found in the wreck, which apparently derive from the same original sculpture, are stylistically closer to the mid-fifth century BC.^[5]

The head, which has been recently restored, is believed to portray a philosopher, possibly the Epicurean philosopher Charondas, or a poet like Hesiod.^[6] It is partly damaged, lacking its laurel wreath, left eye and the hair on the back of its head. The mangled fragments of a hand and a cloak were found with it, which has led to the head's identification as a philosopher.