Statuette of a sleeping child with a lamp

Along with the monumental statues of God-like Emperors, Roman sculpture also produced pieces focused on realism. Such a child standing on his own, dressed poorly and holding a lamp evokes an orphan. Indeed, abandonning a child – an act called exposure – in the street or on the side of the road was quite a common practice in ancient Greek and Roman times. These children could be adopted by families who could use them as a toy for their children, or, after mutilation, as a beggar for example.除却塑造神化帝王的宏伟雕像之外，古罗马雕塑亦创作了诸多聚焦写实风格的作品。这件独自伫立、衣衫褴褛且手持油灯的孩童雕像，令人联想到孤儿形象。事实上，在古希腊与古罗马时期，将孩童弃置于街道或路边的行为——这种行为被称为弃婴暴露（exposure）——乃是彼时相当普遍的社会习俗。此类弃婴可能被家庭收养：部分会被作为陪伴主人家子女的玩伴，另有部分则会在遭受致残后沦为乞丐。