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Source Image: PR307_03_18 of Unfinished Seated Male of Aphrodisias: Sculptor's Workshop

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Description

Detail of the unfinished seated male from the Sculptor's Workshop.

Monument
Aphrodisias: Sculptor's Workshop 
Monument Part
Unfinished Seated Male 
Monument Type
Statuary 
Material(s)
Aphrodisian marble (Visual identification)  
Date
post ad 200 - pre ad 450 
Keywords
BodyClothing  
Collections
Aphrodisias, Site and Museum  

Location

Original Location
Aphrodisias 
Current Location
Aphrodisias Museum 

Evidence for working practices

1. Toolmarks

Process
Roughing-out
Tool
Point
Method
Angle: Vertical (90°)
Force: Hard
Description
On the right side of this image very rough work with the point chisel can be seen.

2. Toolmarks

Process
Roughing-out
Tool
Point
Method
Angle: Vertical (90°)
Force: Medium
Description
Finer point chiselling to rough-out the form of the figure more closely is visible on the side of his left leg. This level of work was done as the carver was working into the block and immediately followed with flat chiselling. It was not the case, in other words, that the whole form was carefully roughed-out all over before finer carving was begun.

3. Toolmarks

Process
Rough shaping
Tool
Flat Chisel
Method
Angle: Shallow (40-50°)
Force: Medium
Description
The drapery in this detail is quite roughly worked with the flat chisel. This was not a final finish and would have needed smoothing or finer chiselling afterwards.

Notes

As so often at Aphrodisias the carver responsible for this piece started at the front of the block, shaping the subject in two dimensions before moving around to the back. From the front the form of this figure is clear, therefore, but the sides and back remain very rough. In this detail the way in which the carver is defining the form with the flat chisel working from front to back is especially clear since work stopped just after the figure's left leg has been modelled, roughly half way back into the block.

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