The freedman Eutyches, early
Severan, ca. 193-211. From the Greek inscription written in black on
his tunic we learn that this boy with the extraordinarily vivid face
was 'Eutyches, freedman of Kasianos'. His portrait is painted
directly on the panel, without a distemper ground, leaving bare (or
sized) wood visible at top and bottom.
The image, executed in
thickly textured wax, displays great virtuosity in the Greek
tradition of painting. The face is modelled by light falling from
the top left, and there is a fine calligraphically painted highlight
on the nose. The provenance of this portrait is uncertain: the
region of Philadelphia seems not unlikely, since it is known that
the name Kasianos was popular there in the 2nd century.
[picture 30 from the book]
