CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.

This captivating sculpture preserves three distinct depictions of Dionysus, each based on a Greek prototype from the Archaic and Classical periods. The Archaistic example depicts the god with a layered spade-shaped beard, angled moustache and two rows of tight curls surmounted by a crescentic diadem, whose ties fall onto the shoulders. A head early Classical in style portrays Dionysus with a pointed beard, full moustache, a fringe of vertical locks above the forehead and a thick wreath with a spiral wrap above, accented by rosettes at either end; long strands of hair and the wreath ties fall onto his shoulders. The late Classical style head displays a forked beard, long moustache, a crescentic diadem above a fillet of ivy and berries, with long tendrils of hair falling along the shoulders.

Although triple-headed herms are known, the present example may be unique in its display of three distinct "antique" versions of the same divinity. For a late Hellenistic triple herm combining heads of Dionysos, Demeter and Kore see no. 535 in C. Gasparri, "Dionysos," LIMC, vol. III. For a Roman sculpture of complete herms combining Bacchus, Apollo and Mercury see no. 261 in C. Gasparri, "Dionysos/Bacchus," in LIMC, vol. III.