A Marble Head of a Youth , Roman Imperial, Severan, circa late 2nd/early 3rd Century A.D.

ultimately inspired by a Greek sculpture of the later 4th Century B.C., perhaps of Alexander the Great, turned to his right, his face with full parted lips, straight nose, large eyes with drilled crescentic pupils and incised irises, eyebrows in relief, and prominent brow, the long unruly hair swept up above the forehead, surmounted by a Phrygian cap, and falling in overlapping wavy curls down over the nape of the neck, the neck carved for insertion into a statue,

Mary Lasker, New York (Christie's, London, December 12th, 1990, no. 185, illus.)
Royal-Athena Galleries, New York

very good, note chip on nose, top of cap broken off and repaired, back of hair above shoulders carved flat and schematically worked, several deep scratches on back of hair and cap, tiny nick on proper upper right eyelid
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

As a philanthropist Mary Woodward Lasker (1899-1994) is widely known in the United States, together with her second husband Albert D. Lasker, for her advocacy and support of medical research in general, and cancer research in particular. Also important to her was her contribution to the beautification of New York and Washington, D.C. through improved landscaping of the cities' public parks. Ever since the 1920s, when she had worked as an art dealer in her first husband's New York gallery, she kept collecting art herself, amassing not only an important collection of modern paintings, most of which were sold before her death to benefit her charities, but also a small and refined group of classical antiquities. In a November 1963 interview she talked about her need to surround herself with classical sculpture, in order "to have a human feeling in a room with... very abstract and colorful paintings. " In the same interview she said  "I am not moved by [Chinese porcelain] the way I am by good Greek sculpture or even Roman sculpture... President Kennedy has recently gotten interested in collecting Greek sculpture and the last interview I had with him we took care of our business very fast and then began to discuss Greek sculpture, what he and I were getting." (Columbia University Libraries. Oral History Research Office. Notable New Yorkers. Part 1, Session 23, November 1 st, 1963, pp. 715-716).