DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61301#0293
THE HERMES OF PRAXITELES.
257
side by side we have, connected by common interest and
meaning, such as the votive group executed by Pheidias
for Delphi. Single statues we also have, with little sub-
ordinate figures as adjuncts or attributes something of the
nature of symbols, such as the Nike figure in the hand
of Athene and Zeus. But the vitally connected group in
the round seems to have arisen, or at least become usual,
with the family and school of Praxiteles.
It is interesting to know that this particular scheme of
grouping the child carried on the arm of the grown person
was traditional in the family of Praxiteles. Plis father,
Cephisodotus, was a sculptor, and we hear of him that,
among other statues, he made two groups—a statue of
the goddess of peace (Eirene), with the infant god of
wealth (Ploutos) on her arm. In the Glyptothek at
Munich there is a statue of a lovely, gracious woman in
long, flowing drapery, holding a little child on her arm,
in much the same fashion as Hermes holds Dionysos. The
director of the gallery, Professor Brunn, with his quick,
trained insight, has recognized in this group a copy-
only a copy, but a good one—of the bronze original
made by Cephisodotus ; an original, we may be very
sure, that was seen by the son Praxiteles. And again,
Pliny tells us, Cephisodotus made another group—“ a
statue of Hermes bearing the infant Bacchus in his
arms” Of this we have no certain copy ; but a Graeco-
Roman statue with this subject, now standing in the
18
257
side by side we have, connected by common interest and
meaning, such as the votive group executed by Pheidias
for Delphi. Single statues we also have, with little sub-
ordinate figures as adjuncts or attributes something of the
nature of symbols, such as the Nike figure in the hand
of Athene and Zeus. But the vitally connected group in
the round seems to have arisen, or at least become usual,
with the family and school of Praxiteles.
It is interesting to know that this particular scheme of
grouping the child carried on the arm of the grown person
was traditional in the family of Praxiteles. Plis father,
Cephisodotus, was a sculptor, and we hear of him that,
among other statues, he made two groups—a statue of
the goddess of peace (Eirene), with the infant god of
wealth (Ploutos) on her arm. In the Glyptothek at
Munich there is a statue of a lovely, gracious woman in
long, flowing drapery, holding a little child on her arm,
in much the same fashion as Hermes holds Dionysos. The
director of the gallery, Professor Brunn, with his quick,
trained insight, has recognized in this group a copy-
only a copy, but a good one—of the bronze original
made by Cephisodotus ; an original, we may be very
sure, that was seen by the son Praxiteles. And again,
Pliny tells us, Cephisodotus made another group—“ a
statue of Hermes bearing the infant Bacchus in his
arms” Of this we have no certain copy ; but a Graeco-
Roman statue with this subject, now standing in the
18