Head of Hermes at The Réunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris

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This marble head is a striking replica of a renowned sculpture; The Hermes of the Museo Pio-Clementino. Part of the Vatican collections in Rome, this masterpiece was highly prized for its prominent placement in the Cortile del Belvedere. It is now a treasured exhibit with inventory number 907 at the Museo Pio-Clementino. This was a restored cast of the original sculpture created by an unknown artist which is on permanent display at the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles, France. Its exquisite face is not actually that of Antinous, Emperor Hadrian's cherished companion. The elegant cloak known as a chlamys, draped over the left shoulder and wrapped around the left forearm, and the relaxed contrapposto stance unmistakably identify the sculpture as a Hermes, a classic Praxitelean type. Today, the sculpture is regarded (in the most recent Helbig) to be a Hadrianic replica (early second century CE) of a bronze created by Praxiteles or one of his pupils. This remarkable object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a charitable initiative launched by MyMiniFactory, through which we are building a digital repository of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source, community-driven effort; if you have intriguing items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.