Headless Female Herm
Headless Female Herm
Published 2019-08-07T09:24:56+00:00
A herm such as this is a sculpture, often with a head and perhaps a torso, above a plain squared lower section. Often if it is a man depicted, male genitals will be carved at the appropriate height. This herm strange in that it lacks a head, instead paying special attention to the torso. It is unclear if this is due to damage or artistic choice.
Hermae are so called because the head of the Greek god Hermes was the most commonly used, or connected with the Greek word for “blocks of stone”, which had originally no link with Hermes at all.
This style of sculpture originated in Ancient Greece, and was adopted by the Romans. Later revival occurred during the Renaissance.
Date published | 07/08/2019 |
Title | Headless Female Herm |
Date | 2nd Century A.D. |
Accession | 6393 b |
Medium | Marble |
Record | https://www.museoarcheologiconapoli.it/en/collections/ |
Artist | Unknown artist |
Place | Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli |