Herma of the god Mars. Roman, I - II century A.D.

Herma of the god Mars. Roman, I - II century A.D.
Marble.
Provenance: -Private collection Dr. Angelo Bergamo, New Jersey, USA, acquired in the 1970s at Harmer Rooke Galleries, New York. -Private collection, West Coast, USA, acquired by inheritance.
Conservation: Very good condition of both the figure and the marble surface. Minor losses to the edges of the ears and beard, as well as to the crest at the top of the helmet, with a small repair to one edge of the ear. It has also lost the tip of the nose.
Measurements: 21 cm high.

Interesting Roman herma in marble representing the god Mars, divinity of war, characterized by his helmet and beard, attributes that reinforce his military identity and his condition of protector of the order and the Roman virtue. The piece responds to the typology of herma, a sculptural format of Greek origin adopted by the Romans, consisting of a head or bust on a prismatic support.

The treatment of the face, with severe features and frontal gaze, together with the detailed execution of the beard and helmet, shows the influence of Hellenistic models reinterpreted in a Roman key. This type of representation was common in domestic contexts and garden spaces, as well as in cultic environments, where they fulfilled both a decorative and symbolic function.

A specimen of remarkable quality and excellent general condition, with a documented provenance that reinforces its interest, representative of the Roman sculpture of decorative and religious character, highly appreciated in archaeological collecting.