drawing
- Museum number
- 1858,0626.136
- Description
-
Janus-like head of Hermes and Athena (called Hermathena)
Pen and brown ink, on light brown paper
- Production date
- 1600-1608 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 151 millimetres
-
Width: 174 millimetres (arched)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- The present drawing depicts a Hermatene. The Latin inscription on the helmet "of iron, or ebony, or electrum" and on the heads, "of ivory" could well refer to some use that Rubens was contemplating for the design. The inscription in the lower right-hand corner presumably refers to another design that has been cut off. It is one of a series of thirty heads drawn on 28 pieces of paper. It has been argued by Logan 2021 (nos.33-48) that none of the BM series is by Rubens but are instead are copies after an original set by Rubens. The series has been divided into various groups for ease of discussion with Wood 2011 naming 8 drawings in the BM as Series A, 10 heads thought to be by Rubens at Chatsworth as Series B, and a further 8 drawings after the Chatsworth heads plus 4 additional drawings in the BM as series C. The series in the BM series was probably cut down from larger sheets in preparation for the etched set published by Gerard van der Gucht. For all of these drawings, see 1858,0626.134-160, and 1858,0626.134 for further comment.
Lit: J. Wood, Corpus Rubenianum, XXVI. Copies and Adaptations from Renaissance and Later artists. III: Artists working in central Italy and France, (London & Turnhout), 2011, pp.384-90; A.-M. Logan with K. L. Belkin, The Drawings of Peter Paul Rubens. A critical catalogue, Volume One 1590–1608, (Brepols 2021), nos. 33–48; A.-M. Logan and K. L. Belkin, The Drawings of Peter Paul Rubens. A critical catalogue, Volume Two 1609–1620, (Brepols 2022), no. 374.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1977 BM, Rubens drawings and sketches, no.101
- Acquisition date
- 1858
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1858,0626.136