In Ancient Egyptian culture and mythology Harpocrates, Harpa-Khruti (Horus the Child), was the son of the goddess Isis and her husband Osiris. The deity was often depicted as a small boy, with a sidelock of youth and the index finger held to the lips or the chin. This was a typical Egyptian gesture symbolising childhood and also the Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph for “child”. The deity was later adopted by the Greeks and the misinterpretation of the gesture of the finger to the lips led to the association of Harpocrates with silence. Hence he became the god of silence, secrets and confidentiality in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology. This statuette is one of the beautiful examples of the cultural and aesthetic syncretism which was common in antiquity across the Mediterranean regions. It was perfectly accepted in the Ancient World that other deities could exist and that they had no less legitimacy than those in one’s territory.
Ancient Roman Bronze Statuette of Harpocrates
£ 1,250.00
A fine Ancient Roman bronze statuette of the god Harpocrates. The nude figure is depicted seated leaning forward. His right arm is raised to his face with his finger pressed against his lips; the playful pose is typical of the god. The chubby, putto-like body is rendered naturalistically and intricately. The features of his round face are highly detailed, with careful incisions depicting large, heavy-lidded eyes, browbones, and a straight nose. He wears a smaller version of the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt on top of his curling hair. In his left arm, Harpocrates holds a cornucopia.
The statuette is accompanied by a custom stand. Height without the stand: 5.6 cm
Provenance: From an important Cambridgeshire collection.
Condition: Excellent. The figure and all its details are intact. The underside of the statuette features a hollow. The bronze is covered with a patina. Please note, the statuette is not attached to the stand but sits securely on top.
| Weight | 117.27 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | L 2.6 x W 3 x H 7.8 cm |
| Metal | Bronze |
| Roman Mythology | Harpocrates |
| Region | Southern Europe |
Reference: For a similar item,The Harvard Art Museum, item 2012.1.49
