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Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A cast bronze (XRF shows it is comprised of copper, tin and lead) bust of the god Mercury (Hermes) in ceremonial attire, depicted wearing a large, winged helmet and heavily decorated armor. The armor has a mask-like feature at the center of the chest. The base of the bust tapers to a thick tab as if the item was made to be inserted as a decorative element. Mercury was one of the major Classical deities, the patron god of financial success and commerce, as well as eloquence and poetry. He was a trickster god, and he also acted as a psychopomp, leading souls to the underworld. For these reasons, he came to be seen as the “keeper of boundaries,” forming a bridge between the upper and lower worlds. He also fulfilled that role by acting as a messenger for the other gods. According to Caesar, he was the most popular god in Britain and Gaul, where he was syncretized with the Germanic god Wotan and considered to be the inventor of all arts. Size: 1.1″ W x 2.75″ H (2.8 cm x 7 cm); 3.7″ H (9.4 cm) on included custom stand.
Condition: Intact, with deep green patina with light encrustation. Very nice preservation of details.
Provenance: private Ventura County, California, USA collection acquired from Malter Gallery, about 2004
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