Statue of a standing nude man

The representation of a standing nude man, although a leitmotif of Archaic Greek art, is exceptional in Cypriot limestone sculpture. Clothed men of various types are much more common. The statue in Berlin represents one of these types. The youth stands frontally, slightly advancing his left leg. He wears a diadem trimmed with rosettes, a short-sleeved shirt, and an Egyptianising loincloth. He bends his right arm towards his chest and lets his left arm hang at his side, both hands balled into fists.
The young man’s high social status is indicated by the headdress, as the rosette diadem was apparently a special preserve of the higher social classes. The skirt and balled fist held at the chest betray Egyptian influences, while a Greek inspiration is visible in the taut, rounded shape of the cheeks, shoulders, and arms, as well as the harmonious insertion of the facial features into the face. As on most Cypriot sculptures, the statue here is relatively shallow, and on the back side the body parts are only vaguely indicated. Whether this focus on frontality is due to eastern models, the nature of the limestone, or stylistical connections with the tradition of Cypriot mould-made terracottas is still debated.