SculptureRoman3rd century BCE-3rd century CE

Ithyphallic Herm of a Beardless Youth

3rd century BCE or later

Description

Mostly complete statuette. Large chip off crown; mended at the base. Ithyphallic herm with the head of a beardless youth wearing a broad-brimmed hat or radiating crown. Brim circles all the way around the head, with a pattern of dotted diamonds at front, and lines that fan out at back. Short, straight hair framing an oval face, tucked behind visible ears. Large, almond-shaped eyes with lids and pupils rendered in relief. Straight nose; plump, closed mouth. Long neck with ribbons or long locks of hair falling at the sides and onto the body, which is a simple pillar with square bosses for arms. He wears a traveling cloak with a soft cowl at the neck, and round pin or ornament at the right shoulder. The cloak falls with plastic, vertical folds along the “upper body” at front, and with incised, horizontal folds at the back. A small erect phallus and scrotum are left exposed below a wide triangle of pubic hair indicated by depressed dots. He stands on a high plain base with simple molding at the top. A young Hermes with chlamys and petasus? Grafitto incised at the back of the base. Perhaps a signature or monogram associated with a workshop. Greek letters of different sizes arranged in a compact formation. From left to right, and large to small: an uppercase, broken bar alpha, and an uppercase tau, both on a horizontal line. A small omicron just above the alpha. Two more marks above the tau: shallow incision, could be two more letters, perhaps two lowercase deltas, or a delta and a chi? To the right of the tau, what appears to be a lunate sigma. Would have been painted originally, now only traces of white ground extant. Hollow with and open bottom; heavy. Join seams visible on interior. Large circular venthole at back, at the height of the arms. Light pinkish yellow clay, very slightly micaceous.

Classification

Sculpture

Technique

Mold-made

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Roman

Period

Roman period

Century

3rd century BCE-3rd century CE