Italian Bronze Grand Tour Seated Hermes After The Antique

A large-scale late 19th century Italian Grand Tour bronze of the ‘Seated Hermes’ after the antique, ex. private UK collection. Also known as ‘Resting Hermes’ or ‘Seated Mercury’, this beautiful bronze is attributed to the Giorgio Sommer Foundry, Naples. Though smaller than the antique, it is larger in scale than other depictions on the market, making it a rare find.

Here, the young Greek deity, Hermes, with narrow shoulders and lean muscles, is seated nude on a rock in a resting position. One hand is placed on the rock and the other on his knee, with other leg extended before him, each ankle heeled with the wings that the Greek God Hermes and Roman God Mercury are often associated with.

With its attractive patination and rare scale, this antique bronze Seated Hermes is an impressive sculpture for a display plinth or console, particularly those with Greek, Roman or neoclassical interest.

SEATED HERMES

Obtained by a 19th century collector on their Grand Tour of Italy and Europe, this bronze is after a larger scale bronze original discovered at the Villa of the Papyri, Herculaneum in 1758. Now residing at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, the antique is thought to be a 1st century Roman copy of a late 4th/early 3rd century BC Greek original attributed to the Greek sculptor, Lysippos.

CONDITION REPORT

Good structural condition. Dark bronze patina. It is well cast, the detail and condition good. Unsigned.