Herm of a Satyr

Marble
17th Century, Italian
Art Loss Certificate: S00238723


H 150 x W 23 x D 27 cm
H 59 x W 9 x D 10,6 inch


This striking herm presents the bust of a satyr set upon a tapering pillar rising from a stepped base. The figure’s head is rendered with remarkable expressive force: the brow is deeply furrowed, the eyes recessed, and the facial features—nose, lips and cheeks—modelled with a realism suggestive of a mature, even weathered, mythological being.
His curly hair falls in loose locks, while the textured beard adds volume and naturalistic detail. Subtle indications of horns are visible at the forehead, and the pointed ears further underline his otherworldly character.

The torso, with its carefully defined musculature, emerges seamlessly from the squared shaft, before dissolving into the geometric form of the herm. The pillar itself is plain, tapering gently as it descends towards the moulded base, which provides both stability and visual grounding.

The marble retains a polished finish across much of the figure, especially on the face, chest and upper body, where the smooth surface catches the light and enhances the sculptural modelling. With a total height of 150 cm, the piece approaches life-size proportions in its bust, giving it a commanding presence. Such a work was almost certainly intended for architectural or decorative display, where its verticality and mythological subject would have contributed to an atmosphere of erudition and classical refinement.

In 17th-century Italy, the revival of antiquity was at its height, nourished by antiquarian scholarship, the collecting of ancient statuary, and a Baroque taste for dramatic mythological subjects. The choice of a satyr reflects this broader cultural context: companions of Dionysus, satyrs embodied themes of revelry, nature and untamed vitality. Their frequent reappearance in Renaissance and Baroque decorative schemes illustrates the enduring appeal of Bacchic imagery and the imaginative reworking of classical motifs for a new age.