Ekphrasis no. 2

Tucked away among the ruins of Ostia Antica appears none other than a glorious human derriere. So fine, it is unrivaled (in my humble opinion) by the many nude backsides that live in the Galleria Borghese, the Capitoline Museum, the Vatican Museum, or perhaps any other dwelling of fine Roman art from antiquity. It is not a real one in the flesh, as you might have guessed, but one made of rock--white in color, presumably marble, but something about the material's color and texture suggest otherwise. It is visibly weathered, but considering the age of the ancient city it is not nearly as weathered as it could be. Aside from the weathering there is a dimple, or rather a small but sizable chunk missing, in the upper right cheek. The figure's torso is hunched over, almost as if the body is curled up. Its right leg is firmly planted, its left leg lifted forward. From a side view appears what looks like a tree stump, or perhaps a random cylinder, on which the left foot, partially broken off, is resting. A partially chipped off Latin inscription is on the front of the stump. The right arm and head have been removed. A long piece of fabric with a decorative edge is draped over the left thigh, hanging off of either side, keeping both the knee and calf exposed. The left calf muscle in particular is very defined and prominent, especially when compared to the more restful right leg. Moving around to the front of the statue, we see that the fabric covers the left arm from below the shoulder down to the wrist.

(title unknown, artist unknown, Ostia Antica)