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Lot Essay
This powerful depiction of Mercury portrays the god as a symbol of strength, youth and vigor befitting one of the twelve Olympians. He is presented over-lifesized and nude but for a chlamys over his shoulders. Its smooth drapery covers his pectorals and falls down the left side of his back; it is secured with a prominent circular brooch at his right shoulder. His youthfulness is confirmed by the lack of pubic hair.
His form displays the graceful proportions, modelling and contrapposto revolutionized by Polykleitos in the 4th century B.C. Notable are the powerful arch of the back and the slight forward pitch of the torso which creates a crease in the rippling abdomen dividing the well-articulated ribs and the lower musculature. The vigorous modelling includes a prominent iliac crest.
Mercury’s popularity began in the Roman Republic around the 4th century B.C., incorporating some of the attributes of the native Etruscan god Turms. He was worshiped as the god of commerce, travelers, doctors, merchants. He was also the messenger for the gods and the guide of souls to the underworld. The numerous depictions of the god vary in poses, drapery and attributes. For a similar example, based upon a Polykleitan athlete, now in The Boboli Gardens in Florence, see no. 396 in G. Siebert, “Hermes,” LIMC, vol. V. In that sculpture, Mercury is depicted with wings emerging from his head, holding a staff in his lowered left hand and the infant Dionysus in his right. For similar examples of the god with a caduceus and moneybag, see nos. 10 and 12 in E. Simon, “Mercurius,” LIMC, vol. VI.
His form displays the graceful proportions, modelling and contrapposto revolutionized by Polykleitos in the 4th century B.C. Notable are the powerful arch of the back and the slight forward pitch of the torso which creates a crease in the rippling abdomen dividing the well-articulated ribs and the lower musculature. The vigorous modelling includes a prominent iliac crest.
Mercury’s popularity began in the Roman Republic around the 4th century B.C., incorporating some of the attributes of the native Etruscan god Turms. He was worshiped as the god of commerce, travelers, doctors, merchants. He was also the messenger for the gods and the guide of souls to the underworld. The numerous depictions of the god vary in poses, drapery and attributes. For a similar example, based upon a Polykleitan athlete, now in The Boboli Gardens in Florence, see no. 396 in G. Siebert, “Hermes,” LIMC, vol. V. In that sculpture, Mercury is depicted with wings emerging from his head, holding a staff in his lowered left hand and the infant Dionysus in his right. For similar examples of the god with a caduceus and moneybag, see nos. 10 and 12 in E. Simon, “Mercurius,” LIMC, vol. VI.