The bronze statuette depicts a middle-aged man seated in a relaxed pose. His right leg and foot are extended forwards slightly, while the left leg is bent at a right angle, with only the toes touching the ground. The arms are slightly abducted from the body, with the forearms outstretched; the left forearm is slightly rotated outward. The right hand is no longer preserved; the left is open and flat. It probably originally held an object, possibly an unrolled scroll, which would identify the figure as a reader – parallels to this can be found, among other places, in conventionalized depictions of poets and thinkers in glyptic art. However, an oratorical or argumentative gesture is also conceivable, especially since the tilt of the head and direction of the gaze do not suggest deep absorption in reading. The man’s attire consists of a tunic and a toga, the garment worn by Roman citizens at official functions. The toga is draped loosely due to his seated posture. It descends over the left shoulder, covers the back, and is then gathered in a series of rich folds across the lap. Both ends of the garment are clearly visible; the left is turned back and rests in a soft bundle upon the left thigh. On the basis of its cut and the resulting fullness of the fabric, the garment is probably already the type of toga worn in the Imperial Period, that came into fashion in under Augustus. A particularly striking detail is visible on the upper body: beginning at the right shoulder, a broad, vertical band can be observed. It is slightly darkened, which suggests that metal (probably copper) was originally inlaid or applied to it. The stripe does not, however, adorn the toga, but can, by virtue of its placement, be identified as a “clavus” belonging to the tunic. Its prominent placement is not due to merely decorative considerations. Rather, the width and color of the clavus conveyed the wearer’s social rank or status. A broad stripe denoted a person of senatorial standing or a holder of public office. A second stripe, or clavus, would have graced the other side, but is concealed by the toga. Completing the ensemble of tunic and toga, the feet are shod in calcei, whose leather lacing remains partially discernible above the ankle. As far as can be seen, the lacing features a knot, which would correspond to the “calceus senatorius”. The man’s face possesses a certain individuality: the narrow eyes framed by heavy lids, the angular nose, the slightly hollowed cheeks that make the cheekbones stand out prominently and the tapering, pointed chin all contribute to this impression. The flesh of the face is taut and shows no trace of wrinkles. The identity of the depicted individual must, however, remain uncertain. The cranial dome projects slightly backwards and displays occasional irregularities on its surface; these may be intended to suggest hair, albeit in a very cursory manner, or else may simply be the result of the casting process. The figure is hollow. The buttocks are not modelled and the lower edge of the toga immediately above them is smoothed. This particular treatment suggests that the figure may have been placed on a now-lost seat, the appearance of which must remain conjectural. A sella curulis or a simpler seat resembling a stool are both equally conceivable. The context in which the statuette was originally displayed can only be surmised. Due to its small size, it could be transported easily, which generally suggests that it adorned a private setting. It may have formed part of the furnishings of a Roman villa. At the back a square hole indicates the former presence of a metal pin, which functioned as a spacer to maintain the correct distance between the core and the mould during the lost-wax casting process; reddish-brown discolorations from corroded iron are visible in its adjacent area. Azurite deposits and cuprite efflorescence in places.