Hermes (sculpture)
| Hermes the Roman Sculpture | |
| Artist | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Location | Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, Milwaukee |
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| Owner | The Garden Club |
Hermes is a public artwork by an unknown Roman artist located at the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum at 2200 North Terrace Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Description
The antique Roman sculpture is 8-foot high and made of marble. It depicts the Greek messenger god Hermes. Hermes stands in the courtyard of the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. In Greek mythology, Hermes is the son of Zeus and one of the twelve principal gods of Olympus. Greek mythology remembers him as graceful and athletic. His standard attributes are winged sandals and a hat. Hermes is also commonly seen with a magic wand (caduceus) that is a symbol of the medical profession because of its ability to reconcile conflicts.
Historical information
Hermes was purchased from Italy over a hundred years ago. After being purchased by a private New York collector, the statue was on loan in Williamstown, Massachusetts until the 1920s. The Garden Club purchased the statue for 10,000 and commissioned a local sculptor, Dick Wiken to create the decorative bronze pedestal for Hermes. The pedestal is designed with four lion heads and water jets with a pool surrounding the statue.
Acquisition
The Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum was originally named Sopra Mare, the Italian Renaissance villa style home was built in 1922 for the family of Lloyd Raymond Smith by Chicago architect David Adler. This home was private until 1966 when Milwaukee County received the villa as a bequest of Smith's grandmother. The following year the facility opened the building to the public as the Decorative Arts Museum. In order to enhance the museum The Garden Club renovated the courtyard.[1][2]
