Sculpture of a Woman with a Scroll

This is a portrait bust of a woman holding a scroll. It was made sometime between the late 4th and early 5th century in the Byzantine Empire. There is a prominent emphasis on the gaze of the woman and the scroll she is holding. The woman's look is very direct and confident instead of timidly cast downward like many other women from the Middle Ages (Virgin Mary). Such a bold gaze indicates a sense of importance and pride. This was a woman who had a very high status in her society. The scroll on her hand also reaffirms this notion. The scroll represents that she was an educated woman who could read and write. The woman could have been from a monastery, as most educated women during the Middle Ages came from monasteries, or she was just wealthy and received education elsewhere. The many lines on the body indicate that she was wearing a rich , billowing piece of clothing, which again, could have been a religious ceremonial robe or just a fine set of garments. Although her composition contains many feminine characteristics such as long, slender fingers and a soft set of eyes and jawline, overall, she was a distinguished woman who valued her education.