Statue of Hermes

Hermes had more duties than most Greek gods. He carried the messages of Zeus, protected travellers and herdsmen, and looked after traders, and the Romans worshipped him as Mercury, god of commerce. He was also a patron of the wrestling grounds where young men trained, and sculptors often gave him the body of a young athlete.

This statue does exactly that. He stands naked with his weight on one leg, and a short cloak, the chlamys that travellers and riders wore, is thrown over his left shoulder and arm. His forearms are partly broken away, and whatever he once held in his hands went with them.

The museum's label describes him as a Roman statue of the 1st century AD that draws on Greek models, without naming any single Greek original behind it. At 2.36 metres he is well over life size.