Greek sculpture was so prized in ancient times that collectors in the late Hellenistic and Roman periods commissioned works in this earlier style. This statue has historically been identified as Isis, the Egyptian goddess whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world following the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great. Integrated into Roman mythology, she inspired a cult following with famous temples in Rome and Pompeii and statues like this one with signature curls falling over her shoulders.
Previously owned by Sir William Hamilton (1730-1803), a renowned antiquary and British ambassador to the Court of Naples, the statue was then acquired by Thomas Hope (1769-1831), the extravagant art patron and collector who refers to it as a ’Nymph’ in his famous book “Costume of the Ancients” (1809).
The statue is included in 'Man, God & Nature in the Ancient World: Masterpieces from The Al Thani Collection’ which is on view at the Tokyo National Museum until 9 February 2020.