LOT 0131

Life-Size Roman Bearded Head of the Greek God Hermes

1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.

20 1/2 in. (32.2 kg total, 52 cm high including stand).

With densely curled hair, stern facial expression beneath a broad brow, luxuriant curled beard falling in waves and cut square at the lower edge, a Roman copy after a 5th century B.C. Greek original; mounted on a custom-made display stand.

with Chaucer Fine Arts Ltd, 1980s.
English private collection.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Marina Mattei and Dr Laura Maria Vigna.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11615-199747.

Cf. Capuis L., Alkamenes, Fonti storiche e archeologiche, Firenze, 1968, p.48 ss.; Traversari G., Sculture del V-IV secolo a.C. del Museo Archeologico di Venezia, Venezia, 1973, pp.20-23, n.5; Faedo L., in Camposanto Monumentale di Pisa, Le Antichità II, a cura di Salvatore Settis, pp.158-162, n.76; Bonanome, D., in Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Le Collezioni, a cura di Carlo Gasparri e Rita Paris, Milano, 2013, p.269, n.194; Giobbe, C., in Palazzo Altemps, Le Collezioni, p.50; Gagliano, E., Hermes Propylaios (e le Charites) sull’Acropoli di Atene in Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente, vol. XCII, Serie III, 14, 2014, pp.33-68.

This belongs to a type of archaic sculpture which can be traced back to the original ‘Hermes Propylaios’ by the Attic sculptor Alkamenes, a pupil of Phidias, active in the second half of the 5th century B.C. According to some theories, such depictions of Hermes (Hermae) were created for the Propylaea of the Acropolis of Athens, Hermes being the patron deity of doors and entrances. According to others, this type of bearded Hermes was located within the Acropolis as a devotional figure.