Kresilas’ The Lansdowne Bust of the Athena of Velletri is a magnificent art piece located at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in the Ahmanson Building, third floor, in the exhibit of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan Art. This piece is actually a 2nd-century copy after a Greek original of circa 430–420 B.C. The size of this marble bust is almost colossal, because it was bigger than actual human size. The bust was the most prominent piece in the room, that is why it automatically grabs the attention of the viewer, but besides that, the work and detail on it is mesmerizing. According to the information card at the museum, this piece was inspired by a colossal Greek statue of Athena that once stood at Piraeus, the port of Athens, but it…show more content… Her torso is covered in a vertically draped toga or robe. The amount of drapery that was given to it makes look as if was a kind of heavy fabric. It was a v-line shape on the neck, but it not revealing that much skin. Right on the tip of the v-line neck, a type of decorative pin with the face of a gorgon was sculpted. Out this face, serpents are coming out in a swirling manner. This part of the sculpture was carved in the eighteenth century. It seems as if the head is smaller than the torso, because what is left of the shoulders look kind of big. The bust is missing the right shoulder part of the nose. It is important to point out the fact that at first sight the viewer might think this piece is a male bust, because for the most part there are not that many clues that give away the bust is actually a depiction of a female. The subtle detail that makes the viewers wonder is it is a she, if they didn’t read the information card on the wall, is a tiny and almost unnoticeable bump on her left side of the chest, which represents her breast. Athena was an important Greek goddess, gods are supposed to be perfect, and this sculpture captures her perfection. Overall this a wonderful detailed piece, worthy of
