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Swift footed, Hermes (known to Romans as
Mercury), the messenger of Zeus and herald to
the gods, was the patron deity of travelers,
gamblers, tricksters, and businessmen. To him is
ascribed the introduction of deploying embassies
in the capitals of foreign empires in order to
broker peace through diplomatic channels
instead of war. Hermes, the robber and cattle
driver, the prince of thieves at the gates, the
bringer of dreams, the patron of travelers, is also
credited with assiting the Fates during the
creation of the alphabet, securing his role as the
governor of the tongue and the guide of
intelligent speech. He also invented the lyre from
a tortoise shell and gave this musical instrument
to Apollo who, in turn, gave Mercury a caduceus,
the golden staff crowned by wings and
intertwined with serpents--symbol of today's
medical profession. Hermes is sometimes called
Argiphontes, for having killed the all-seeing
Argos I who guarded Io. He is referred to as
Psychopompus in the context of his role as the
guide of the souls of the deceased to the
Underworld.
Here, Hermes stands nude in a classic
contraposto pose with his weight resting on his
right leg, leaving his left leg relaxed with his
knee slightly bent. A piece of drapery flows
across his chest and falls along his left arm. His
head is angled down and slightly to the right.
Hermes’ identity is confirmed by the presence of
three of his most notable attributes: the petasus,
the talarius, and the money sack. The petasus is
a wide brimmed hat characteristic of travelers;
here, it is winged, indicating Mercury’s swiftness
and symbolizing his wisdom. The talarius is the
pair of sandals, again winged, and again
symbolizing the god’s swiftness. In his right
hand, he carries a money sack, a symbol of
promised prosperity.
This magnificent bronze sculpture exemplifies
the artistic creativity of the Hellenistic era. The
statue was cast from bronze using the solid cast
lost wax process. This technique starts with a
solid wax model of the object on which every
detail of the finished product is represented. The
model is covered in clay and baked. During the
firing, the wax melts and drains out from the
clay, leaving behind a mold into which molten
bronze is poured. Finally, the mold is broken,
the sculpture removed and polished, smoothing
out any imperfections in the surface. The
sculptor of this work was certainly inspired by a
work of the great master Lysippos, the court
artist of Alexander the Great. Although
Lysippos’ creation no longer exists, we are aware
of its composition from later Roman copies,
including the Farnes-Andros Hermes that today
resides in the Vatican Museum.
No doubt this gorgeous work of art was revered
in its own time. Libations of rich wines and
perfumed oils might have been placed nearby to
honor the invoked deity. However, while the
great pantheon of Greek and Roman gods and
goddesses has faded into the realm of myth, this
sculpture still stands as a stunning work of
timeless beauty. Who knows, maybe this work
will conjure up the spirit of Mercury, who might
bless us with successful business dealings and
safe travel? In our world – as in antiquity – this
seems the ideal work of art for someone who
charts a swift and successful course through
time.
- (PF.5471)
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