Roman Provincial Bronze Statuette of Mercury
£ 495.00
A finely modelled Roman statuette of Mercury cast from bronze. The god is depicted wearing his winged hat, the petasos (πέτασος), and is standing in the nude with a chlamys draped over his left shoulder and arm. He is portrayed leaning slightly backwards with the left leg slightly bent at the knee whilst placing his weight on the right leg, creating a classical contrapposto posture. Both arms are extended outwards with his right hand holding his purse. The feet are joined to form a flat, circular base. The facial features, finger and toe detailing, musculature and the pleats of the fabric have been carefully rendered through linear incisions, however in a crude style which is more common in provincial areas such as Gaul.
Please take note of the measurements.
N.B. The statuette cannot stand unaided.
Date: Circa 1st-2nd century AD
Provenance: From a private collection formed in the 1990s. Ex London, UK, gallery.
Condition: Fine condition, slight encrustations to the surface.
In stock
Mercury, Mercurius in Latin, was a major component of the Ancient Roman pantheon. Commonly identified with the Ancient Greek god Hermes, his cult has a long tradition, with the earliest evidences of his name found on Linear B tables dating to the 15th – 13th century BC. As messenger and herald, Mercury/Hermes features in several mythological episodes, such as the killing of Argos. His representations in Roman art derive from the Greek tradition, maintaining Hermes’ attributes such as the winged sandals (talaria) and hat (petasos). His tale tell signs of the caduceus and purse symbolise the link that the god has to commerce but also thievery.
To find out more about Roman gods, please visit our relevant blog post: Roman Gods in Mythology.
