Roman Marble Head of Mercury

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st BCE to 1st century CE. A finely carved marble head of Mercury, the god of commerce, poetry, and travelers who guided Roman souls to the underworld, modeled upon the 5th century BCE Greek prototype, the youthful god with a close-cropped wavy/curled coiffure with contours of wings emerging from it and comma-shaped locks framing his handsome face which presents attractive features such as almond-shaped eyes, an arched browline leading to his aquiline nose, closed full lips, a defined chin, and well-modeled naturalistic facial planes. The verso is fully carved in the round. A wonderful depiction of a youthful Mercury from ancient Rome! Size: 3.125" H (7.9 cm); 5.625" H (14.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Mercury was 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.

A Roman marble head of Mercury, albeit of a somewhat larger size, sold for $134,500 at Christies New York (5 December 2012, lot 169).

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, collected in the 1970s

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#154204
Condition Report: A fragment from a larger statue with losses to neckline and expected surface wear commensurate with age. Scattered deposits. Amazing details have survived the tests of time; just look at the wavy tendrils of that coiffure!