Marble female herm

Unknown

1st century CE · Marble · Greek and Roman Art

Herms are rectangular stone shafts terminating in a head. They originated as markers surmounted with an image of the god Hermes, but by the Roman period they were no longer restricted in subject. Private villas were filled with herms showing the heads of satyrs, maenads, young athletes, or philosopher portraits. This decorative female herm would have made an appropriate garden decoration.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st century CE

Medium

Marble

Culture

Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of Francis Neilson, 1942