Lot 190

Roman Mercury Standing Nude w/ Winged Helmet

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Lot 190
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Roman Mercury Standing Nude w/ Winged Helmet
Roman Mercury Standing Nude w/ Winged Helmet
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Roman Mercury Standing Nude w/ Winged Helmet

Estimate: $500 - $750

Starting Bid: $200

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 7, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A lively and compact bronze, this leaded bronze figurine presents Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, travel, and communication, captured mid-motion with an almost playful confidence. Though small in scale, the figure carries an outsized sense of energy, its stance and attributes immediately identifying the divine messenger. Mercury is shown nude, his body modeled in contrapposto with weight shifted onto one leg, creating a gentle sway through the hips and torso. He wears only his winged helmet, the petasos, its crest rising above his head as a clear marker of speed and divine mobility. The arms extend outward, one hand grasping a money bag, symbol of trade, profit, and prosperity, while the other holds a cloak, likely the chlamys, rendered as a compact mass of folds. Cast atop an integral plinth, the figure stands firmly despite its animated pose. Size: 1" W x 2" H (2.5 cm x 5.1 cm)

The surface displays a mottled green and brown patina consistent with age and burial, softening details while preserving the overall clarity of form. The proportions are stylized yet confident, emphasizing gesture and iconography over anatomical precision, a common approach in small Roman household bronzes.

Such figurines were often used as domestic cult objects, personal devotional pieces, or decorative items placed in lararia or private interiors. Mercury was an especially popular deity among merchants and travelers, invoked for protection, good fortune, and successful exchange. This example distills those associations into a concise visual statement, balancing divine authority with approachable charm. It is a vivid survivor of Roman daily life, where gods were not distant abstractions but familiar presences, standing watch from shelves, niches, and tabletops, always ready to lend a profitable hand.

Provenance: private Dayton, Maryland, USA collection; ex-private F. B. collection, Maryland, USA, acquired between 1990 to 2010

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 197313

  • Condition: Chip to headdress. Weathering to surface with abrasions as shown, but otherwise, very nice with liberal remaining detail and rich patina.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000