Hermes with the Infant Dionysus, Front Left

Creator

• Praxiteles

Files

Publisher

Saskia, Ltd., Cultural Documentation

Publication Date

1966

Time Period

circa 350-330 BCE

Abstract

Full length from front left view

Keywords

Greek Classical period, Sculpture (Visual works), Statues, Parian marble, Contrapposto

Alt Text

A marble statue of a muscular male figure holding a smaller figure draped in cloth, displayed on a pedestal against a blue wall. The statue exhibits classical artistic style with detailed anatomy and drapery.

Extent

1 color photograph

Geographic Location

Greece; Olympia (Greece); Temple of Hera (Olympia, Greece)

Rights

This material is licensed by USF Libraries for the research and teaching needs of USF students, staff, and faculty only. See: https://lib.usf.edu/collections-and-discovery/collection-management/user-terms/

Access Restrictions

Only thumbnail images and descriptive information are available to non-USF users. Full access to this collection is available only to authorized users on the USF network on campus or via VPN.

Media Type

Color photographs

Format

Digital Only

Note

This sculpture is from ancient Greece, traditionally attributed to Praxiteles and dated to the 4th century. It was discovered in 1877 in the ruins of the Temple of Hera, Olympia, Greece. German excavations started in 1874, and three years later, lead archaeologist Ernst Curtius, uncovered the body of a statue depicting a young man resting against a tree trunk covered by a mantle. The Olympia site was hit by an earthquake during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the final years of the third century C.E, collapsing the roof of the Temple of Hera and burying the statue in rubble. Clay was protecting the work, so it was in a particularly pristine state of preservation for its age. After six more discoveries recovering the remainder of the statue, there are still parts absent from both figures. An ancient base survived, made of grey limestone block between two blocks of marble. The group is sculpted from a block of highest quality Parian marble, with the face and front especially smooth, while the back is chiseled and more rough. Depicted is the messenger god Hermes holding the infant Dionysus. He had been charged by Zeus to remove his infant son, Dionysus, from the clutches of his jealous wife Hera. Hermes is rendered with a contrapposto stance, resting his weight on only one leg. It is unsure whether this is a replica or an original carving. Today, many scholars compromise by classifying it as an exceptionally high-quality Hellenistic or Roman copy that carefully preserves a lost masterpiece. This object is currently housed at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Greece.

Identifier

A01-JGC0508

Recommended Citation

Praxiteles, "Hermes with the Infant Dionysus, Front Left" (1966). Art and Art History Collection (Saskia). 531.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/saskia/531