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Source Image: PR308_05_22 of Apprentice Pieces: Feet of Aphrodisias: Apprentice Pieces

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Description

Detail of a carved foot, probably apprentice practice pieces.

Monument
Aphrodisias: Apprentice Pieces 
Monument Part
Apprentice Pieces: Feet 
Monument Type
Statuary 
Material(s)
Aphrodisian marble (Visual identification)  
Date
post ad 1 - pre ad 450 
Keywords
Body  
Collections
Aphrodisias, Site and Museum  

Location

Original Location
Aphrodisias 
Current Location
Aphrodisias Museum depot 

Evidence for working practices

1. Toolmarks

Process
Rough shaping
Tool
Point
Method
Angle: Steep (60-70°)
Force: Medium
Description
Point chisel marks can be seen around the back of the foot where the form was roughly shaped.

2. - Toolmarks

Process
Flattening
Tool
Flat Chisel
Description
The flat chisel was used quite roughly to flatten the base on which the foot stands.

2. - Toolmarks

Process
Laying-out
Tool
Drill
Method
Vertical (90°)
Description
A drill hole between the toes might be a reference point used by the trainee to lay-out the design of the foot and take measurements from.

3. Toolmarks

Process
Fine shaping
Tool
Flat Chisel
Description
The skin surface on the foot was carefully carved with the flat chisel.

Notes

A large number of carved feet have been found at Aphrodisias, many of them of relatively low quality, which seem to have been produced by apprentices or trainee sculptors in the city. Feet were probably used as subjects because they are fairly complicated anatomically, because the pieces of stone on which they were carved could be laid down on a flat surface, and because the sculptors could use their own feet as models.

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