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Source Image: PR308_06_13 of Apprentice Pieces: Feet of Aphrodisias: Apprentice Pieces

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Description

A carved foot, probably an apprentice practice piece.

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
BodyMeasuring Point  
Collections
Aphrodisias, Site and Museum  

Location

Original Location
Aphrodisias 
Current Location
Aphrodisias Museum depot 

Evidence for working practices

1. Measuring point

Process
Measurement
Description
A measuring knob with a hole in the centre of it is visible on the top of this foot which must have been a reference point off which the carver took measurements during the sculpting process. Using callipers the carver perhaps employed this knob to work out the arrangement of the toes.

2. Toolmarks

Process
Rough shaping
Tool
Point
Method
Angle: Shallow (40-50°)
Force: Medium
Description
The rough shaping of the foot was done with the point chisel, the marks of which are visible in places.

3. Toolmarks

Process
Rough shaping
Tool
Flat Chisel
Method
Angle: Shallow (40-50°)
Force: Medium
Description
The flat chisel was also employed, however, to define the basic form of the foot, and clear marks made by it can be seen on the top of the foot and between the toes. Clearly the carvers was happy to switch between tools during this process.

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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