| Date | late 1st century – early 2nd century |
|---|---|
| Object type | sculpture |
| Medium, technique | carved, marble |
| Dimensions | height: 53.5 cm, width: 35 cm, depth: 29.5 cm |
| Inventory number | 4999 |
| Collection | Classical Antiquities |
| On view | Museum of Fine Arts, Basement Floor, Classical Antiquity, The ancient Mediterranean |
The portrait represents Hermarchos, the leader of one of the most important Athenian philosophical schools. The neatly combed hair and groomed beard makes him look average – and this is what is so telling: this school (the Garden of Epicuros) instructed the disciples not to look different from their fellow human beings (“live hidden!”). But Hermarchos’ clothing still makes it clear that this is the portrait of an intellectual: he wears only a mantle – the usual attribute of philosophers. The motif of the curved, puckered forehead is indicative of intellectual effort.
Marble analyses have shown that the bust was made of Pentelic marble.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.
