Terracotta Bust Of Hermes - 19th Century

Modeled terracotta cabinet bust depicting Hermes (or Mercury in Roman mythology), god of commerce, travelers, and messenger of the gods.

Treated in a purely neoclassical style, the god is portrayed as a young man with a serene and idealized face, his head slightly tilted and turned to his right. His abundant hair, composed of soft and spirited curls, is directly topped with two small outspread wings, classic iconographic attributes of the messenger of Olympus.

The bare torso, cut in the antique manner at chest level, rests on a molded circular socle. On the reverse, the sculpture reveals traces of the sculptor's tools and fingers, attesting to genuine direct modeling work in the clay.

The piece bears on the back, incised into the wet clay above the socle, the full signature and date: "S. L. (G ?) ADAM / 1874". Through the sensitivity of its modeling, the softness of its antique patina, and its intimate scale (24 cm high), this work constitutes an elegant example of French neoclassical sculpture from the second half of the 19th century.

Condition report: Very good overall condition. Beautiful original antique patina.