Lot 154, Auction 4/20/2026: Roman Mercury Standing Nude w/ Winged Helmet

$390.00

In stock

Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A lively and compact bronze, this leaded bronze figurine presents Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, travel, and communication, captured mid-motion with an almost playful confidence. Though small in scale, the figure carries an outsized sense of energy, its stance and attributes immediately identifying the divine messenger. Mercury is shown nude, his body modeled in contrapposto with weight shifted onto one leg, creating a gentle sway through the hips and torso. He wears only his winged helmet, the petasos, its crest rising above his head as a clear marker of speed and divine mobility. The arms extend outward, one hand grasping a money bag, symbol of trade, profit, and prosperity, while the other holds a cloak, likely the chlamys, rendered as a compact mass of folds. Cast atop an integral plinth, the figure stands firmly despite its animated pose. Size: 1″ W x 2″ H (2.5 cm x 5.1 cm)

The surface displays a mottled green and brown patina consistent with age and burial, softening details while preserving the overall clarity of form. The proportions are stylized yet confident, emphasizing gesture and iconography over anatomical precision, a common approach in small Roman household bronzes.

Such figurines were often used as domestic cult objects, personal devotional pieces, or decorative items placed in lararia or private interiors. Mercury was an especially popular deity among merchants and travelers, invoked for protection, good fortune, and successful exchange. This example distills those associations into a concise visual statement, balancing divine authority with approachable charm. It is a vivid survivor of Roman daily life, where gods were not distant abstractions but familiar presences, standing watch from shelves, niches, and tabletops, always ready to lend a profitable hand.

Condition: Chip to headdress. Weathering to surface with abrasions as shown, but otherwise, very nice with liberal remaining detail and rich patina.

Provenance: private Dayton, Maryland, USA collection; ex-private F. B. collection, Maryland, USA, acquired between 1990 to 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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