Bronze figurine of Hermes
Hellenistic Greek, 200-100 BC
Said to be from Saponara, southern Italy
Hermes, the messenger of the gods
The wide-brimmed petasos (sun hat) probably identifies
this superbly cast figure as Hermes, the messenger god. He would
originally have held another of his attributes - the
kerykeion (snake-entwined staff) - in his right hand. This
figure, however, lacks the winged sandals that Hermes usually
wears.
The male nude epitomises Classical art; gods, heroes, athletes
and mortal men were often portrayed naked from an early period.
The sculptor Polykleitos had developed a canon of proportion for
the male nude in the fifth century BC. However, this figure follows
the proportions favoured by the sculptor Lysippos, who worked in
the latter half of the fourth century BC. The male figures created
by Lysippos and his followers are long-legged, slim-waisted and
small-headed, yet they appear muscular and powerful. The stance of
this figure, with the weight on one leg, the other bent, and the
hand resting on the hip, is typical of the Hellenistic period
(323-30 BC) and was widely adopted for royal portraits made at that
time. The god's powerful musculature and detailed anatomy also
suggest a Hellenistic date. It is not entirely clear what the
functions of such statuettes were, but they may either have
decorated domestic shrines or gardens, or have been given as
offerings in sanctuaries.
T. Richard Blurton (ed.), The enduring image: treasures, exh. cat (British Council, 1997)