Head of a Young Man

The youthful appearance of this individual combined with the laurel wreath suggest that he was the victor in a competition, likely a poetry contest. Such contests were common forms of entertainment in antiquity and were sacred to Apollo, patron god of poetry and music. The laurel tree was a fitting choice for the victor’s wreath since it, too, was associated with Apollo. From this tradition we get the word laureate to describe someone who achieves distinction in a particular field, such as poet laureate or Nobel laureate.