A ROMAN BRONZE MERCURY

CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN BRONZE MERCURY
CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.
Modelled on the Lysippan Seated Hermes, the god reclining upon a separately-made rocky outcrop, his left leg crossing his right at the ankle, depicted nude but for his mantle that is draped over his right shoulder, down his back and wrapped around his left thigh, partially obscuring his genitalia, his left arm at his side with the palm up, likely once holding his caduceus, his right arm resting on his money bag, a snake to his left, wearing his winged petasos, his hair brushed forward in short comma-shaped locks, the large eyes with the pupils indicated, his small mouth framed by deep naso-labial folds
6 5/8 in. (16.8 cm.) high

Provenance

French Private Collection, 1960s.
with de Serres, Paris, 1994.

Brought to you by

G. Max Bernheimer

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Lot Essay

Lysippos' Seated Hermes is known from numerous versions in several scales and media. The best known example is the bronze from the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum, now in Naples. See, for example, nos. 961ff. in Siebert, "Hermes" in LIMC and p. 130ff. in Moreno, et al., Lisippo, L'Arte e la Fortuna.

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