Portrait of a boy-Roman,2nd century- a study

I made a small study of 'Portrait of a boy'( Roman, 2nd century, at the Metropolitan Museum  here). A teenage boy, a freed slave called Eutyches, which in Greek means the one with good luck, a happy man.(was he?)

 It is interesting how one can detect elements of both the naturalistic tradition (the subtle transitions of tone on the face, a flowing brushstroke here and there) and Byzantine stylization (the frontal pose with a slight turn of the head, the almost geometric layering of shadows on the neck, the outline, the thin crosshatching)

Considering these portraits were painted after death it is endearingly alive. Painting it was like stretching my hand through the centuries and touching his face.

Hugs-