Hermes of Praxiteles. Circa 340 BCE

Hermes is holding the infant Dionysus in his left arm, while he dangles a bunch of grapes in his right (missing) one. It is a typical pose that was reproduced almost identically in many ancient statues, but the original one was attributed to Praxiteles. The marble is beautifully carved to describe the anatomy of the body in accurate forms, while the treatment of the surface juxtaposing sheen and texture reveal the different roles of the stone: skin, cloth, tree, and hair.

Exhibited in Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece.

Tags:
Art Classical Hermes Marble Mythology Olympia Olympia Museum Original Photo Peloponnese Sculpture