A striking and high quality pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu, black Porphyry and fossilized marble statues of Minerva and Hermes. Each statue is raised by a beautiful circular fossilized marble base with an elegant bottom black Porphyry... — Read More

A striking and high quality pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu, black Porphyry and fossilized marble statues of Minerva and Hermes. Each statue is raised by a beautiful circular fossilized marble base with an elegant bottom black Porphyry step. Above are Minerva and Hermes standing proudly. Minerva is draped in a wonderfully executed flowing garment and is wearing her armor and lovely sandals. Her shield is resting at her side and displays the inscription PAX (meaning peace in Latin) and she holds a laurel branch in her left hand. Hermes is also draped in a flowing garment and wears his armor with a striking and hammered design. His shield is strapped to his arm, he holds an impressive dagger in the other hand and wears his helmet with wings at each side.

Column Height: 9.5"

Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, although it is noted that the Romans did not stress her relation to battle and warfare as the Greeks would come to, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. From the second century BC onward, the Romans equated her with the Greek goddess Athena.

Hermes was a Greek god and the son of Zeus. He was considered the herald of the gods as well as the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants and orators. He was able to move quickly and freely between the worlds of the mortal and the divine and functioned as the emissary and messenger of the gods. — Read Less