Seated Hermes, Detail

Alternative Title

Hermes at Rest; Mercury in Repose

Creator

• Unknown

Files

Publisher

Saskia, Ltd., Cultural Documentation

Publication Date

1966

Time Period

1st century BCE replica of an original from late 4th or early 3rd century BCE

Abstract

1/2 length from center right

Keywords

Greek Classical period, Sculpture (Visual works), Statues, Bronze, Roman copy, Grand tours, Peristyles (Roman courtyards)

Alt Text

A bronze statue of a seated male figure with detailed musculature and curly hair, resting on a rock-like base against a plain background. The figure's right arm is bent at the elbow, with the hand resting on the knee.

Extent

1 color photograph

Geographic Location

Italy; Herculaneum (Extinct city); Villa of the Papyri (Herculaneum)

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 is the ancient bronze statue of the Seated Hermes, excavated in 1758 at the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum, which was buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. It is considered a preserved 1st century Roman copy of a lost Greek bronze sculpture from the late 4th or early 3rd century BCE, linked to the sculptural style of Lysippos. Depicted is the youthful messenger god Hermes as an adolescent. He is rendered in a highly naturalistic pause, carefully balanced on a rock with his signature winged sandals on his feet. Many bronze statues posed on actual rocks would have been set up in late Hellenistic and Roman gardens. Hermes rests his hand on the rock, integrating it into the composition. Due to its preservation and fame amidst the 18th and 19th centuries, it became a widely copied classical antiquity for wealthy travelers on the European Grand Tour. This object is currently housed at the National Archeological Museum of Naples, Italy.

Identifier

A01-JGC0665

Recommended Citation

Unknown, "Seated Hermes, Detail" (1966). Art and Art History Collection (Saskia). 573.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/saskia/573