Metropolitan Museum of Art - Limestone statue of a man holding a mask in the form of a bull's head

1. The "Limestone statue of a man holding a mask in the form of a bull's head" sculpture has no information on the artist. The medium for the sculpture is limestone. The dimensions are 67 inches in height. It was sculpted in the 2nd half of the 4th century B.C.
2. This sculpture is bear witnessing to a man who is a priest. He is holding a mask in the form a bull's head that he would have worn when involved in a religious ritual in Cyprus. The religious ritual probably had a God associated with fertility.
3. The artist is communicating this story visually by sculpting the priest and his ceremonial outfit. I can't say if the sculpting is lifelike but it was very proportional to an actual man.
4. The Greek sculptures used various tools and techniques to make these sculptures. They would start at the top of the medium chosen and work their way down. Arms and limbs were usually done separate and then added on. Also the sculptures were using a small scale model to guide proportions.
5.The materials or manner in which they are applied help the artist tell his/her visual story especially well because it the statue is very lifelike. You can clearly see the ceremonial attire. In addition, the medium chosen gives the statue durable to time.
6. One thought I have on the statue is about the missing head. I don't know if the statue's head broke off or if the sculpture didn't sculpt the head. As well as the man's right arm which is incomplete, or maybe it broke off. Whatever the reason, it makes the statue more interesting and its what caught my attention.