Seated Hermes

myminifactory

This statue was likely the most celebrated piece of art discovered at Herculaneum during the 18th century. Who is depicted? Hermes (/ˈhɜːrmiːz/; Greek: Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian god in Greek mythology and religion, son of Zeus and Pleiad Maia. He is also the second youngest of the Olympian gods (Dionysus being the youngest). Hermes is considered a god of transitions and boundaries. He is described as quick-witted and cunning, moving freely between mortal and divine worlds. He is portrayed as an emissary and messenger of the gods; an intercessor between mortals and the divine, and conductor of souls into the afterlife. Hermes has been viewed as protector and patron of herdsmen, thieves, oratory, wit, literature, poetry, athletics, sports, invention, trade, roads, boundaries, and travelers. In some myths, he is a trickster who outwits other gods for his own satisfaction or for the sake of humanity. His attributes and symbols include the herma, rooster, tortoise, satchel or pouch, winged sandals, and winged cap. His main symbol is the Greek kerykeion or Latin caduceus, which appears in a form of two snakes wrapped around a winged staff with carvings of other gods. More about the artist Lysippos (/laɪˈsɪpɒs/; Greek: Λύσιππος) was a Greek sculptor from the 4th century BC. Alongside Scopas and Praxiteles, he is considered one of the three greatest sculptors of the Classical Greek era, marking the transition into the Hellenistic period. Challenges arise in studying Lysippos due to difficulties in identifying his style among surviving copies. Not only did he have a large workshop and many disciples in his immediate circle, but there was also a market for replicas of his work, supplied from outside his circle both during his lifetime and later in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.