Bust of Homer (Herm Type)
Sculpture, Herm (square pillar topped with a head) • Unknown Roman sculptor; after a Greek Hellenistic original (Epimenides type)
Style & Movement
Roman Imperial (Hellenistic style); Classical realism with idealized features
Medium & Technique
White marble, carved using chiselling and drilling techniques (especially in the beard and hair to create shadow)
Creation Period
Roman copy of a Greek original; likely 1st - 2nd Century AD
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 50-60 cm in height; vertical portrait format
Subject Description
A portrait of the blind poet Homer. He is depicted as an elderly man with a thick, curly beard and deeply recessed, sightless eyes suggestive of his legendary blindness. The head is set atop a plain, rectangular herm base.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good; the head appears largely intact with minor surface weathering and yellowing characteristic of aged marble.
Estimated Market Value
$150,000 - $300,000 USD (variable based on specific provenance and archaeological license)
Auction Estimate
$100,000 - $250,000 USD
Provenance History
Likely European private or museum collection (indicated by the brass inventory tag '21'); likely excavated in Italy or Greece during the 18th or 19th centuries.
Art Historical Significance
This represents one of the most iconic portraits of antiquity. While Homer was a semi-legendary figure, Roman copies of these idealized Greek portraits were highly prized in ancient libraries and domestic gardens as symbols of erudition.
Notable Features
The '21' inventory label suggests a formal gallery or institutional cataloging system. The treatment of the eyes specifically denotes the subject's blindness, a hallmark of Homeric iconography.
Condition Issues
Notable structural seam between the neck and the herm base suggest the head may have been reattached or 'married' to the base. Surface abrasions and minor pitting on the nose and forehead.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning to remove surface dust; stable humidity and temperature control; avoid direct skin contact to prevent oil staining.