Living Poets

Image 1: British Museum, museum no. 1805,0703.90, catalogue no. 1832

Object description: A Roman bust of Hadrianic date, showing a bearded male. The classicism of the object, and the multiplicity of heads of the same type suggests that they are adaptations of a single archetype, probably a Greek portrait statue of the late fourth century BCE. This type has conventionally been identified as Sophocles on the basis that it shares a degree of likeness with the securely identified Lateran Type Sophocles, because it is found in large numbers and thus probably represents a famous individual, and because it is paIred in one case in a double herm with a head identified by some as Aristophanes. The identifications of these types as Sophocles and Aristophanes is speculative, and many remain sceptical (Richter-Smith 1984: 209; Piekarski 2004: 170-172; Dillon 2006: 137-139).

Object Archaeology: Found in the environs of Genzano, around 1775 (Richter 1965: 131). Once part of the Townley Collection.

Inscriptions: None.

Restorations: End of nose (Richter 1965: 131; Dillon 2006: 138).

Dimensions: Height: 49.5 cm (British Museum record).

Image 2: Modern plaster cast of an ancient object

Modern Cast: Leipzig, Antikenmuseum der Universität, Abgusssammlung, inv. no. G 353, old inv. no. A 1007.

Ancient object: Paris, Musée de Louvre, Ma 84/ CP 6473. Double herm with so-called Aristophanes.

Object description: A modern plaster cast in Leipzig University Museum of Antiquities, of an ancient object in the Louvre, Paris. A marble double herm shows two figures from shoulders up, joined at the back of the head. The figures are oriented in opposite directions. This double-herm features the head of the Type III Sophocles. The classicism of the object, and the multiplicity of heads of the same type suggests that they are adaptations of a single archetype, probably a Greek portrait statue of the late fourth century BC. This type has conventionally been identified as Sophocles on the basis that it shares a degree of likeness with the securely identified Lateran Type Sophocles, because it is found in large numbers and thus probably represents a famous individual, and because it is paired in one case in a double herm with a head identified by some as Aristophanes. The identifications of these types as Sophocles and Aristophanes is speculative, and many remain sceptical (Richter-Smith 1984: 209; Piekarski 2004: 170-172; Dillon 2006: 137-139).

Object Archaeology: The original after which this plaster cast was made is said to be from Hadrian’s villa (Richter 1965: 131; Dillon 2006: 138).

Inscriptions: None.

Restorations: On original: Nose and part of ear on Sophocles (Richter 1965: 131). Herm base from necks downwards.

Dimensions: Height of head: 27 cm (Richter 1965: 131; Dillon 2006: 138).

Examples of type in major collections (after Richter 1965: 130-131, and Dillon 2006: 137-139):

• Rome, Musei Capitolini, Stanza dei Filosofi, no. 69 (inv. 600). Head on modern herm.
• Rome, Villa Albani, Porticus, no. 75. Head on modern herm.
• Rome, Museo Antiquario del Palatino. Head.
• Naples, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, inv. 6133. Herm.
• Vienna, Kunsthistorische Museum, inv. I, 1307. Head on modern bust.
• Berlin, Staatliche Museen, Sk296. Head.
• London, British Museum, museum no. 1805,0703.90, catalogue no. 1832. Marble bust. Shown in image 1.
• London, British Museum, catalogue no. 1848. Head on modern bust.
• Paris, Musée de Louvre, Ma 84/ CP 6473. Double herm with so-called Aristophanes. Shown in image 2.
• Fontainebleau, Château de Fontainebleau, Jardin de Diane. Head.
• Béziers, Musée d’Ensérune. Head.
• Copenhagen, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, I.N. 2022. Herm.

Bibliography

• Dillon, S. 2006. Ancient Greek Portrait Sculpture: Contexts, Subjects, and Styles. Cambridge: 137-139.
• Piekarski, D. 2004. Anonyme griechische Porträts des 4. Jhs. v. Chr : Chronologie und Typologie. Rahden: 170-172.
• Richter, G. M. A. 1965. The Portraits of the Greeks I. London: 130-131.
  • and Smith, R. R. R. 1984. The Portraits of the Greeks. London: 209.
• Schefold, K. and Bayard, A.-C. 1997. Die Bildnisse der antiken Dichter, Redner und Denker. Basel: 130-131.