Hermes of Praxiteles

This statue depicts the messenger of the gods, Hermes, holding the god Dionysos on his left arm.   He had been charged by Zeus to remove his infant son, Dionysos, from the clutches of his jealous wife Hera.

This Parian marble  statue is 7 ft. [2.1 m.] high and was found in the Temple of Hera.  It is one of the best-preserved statues from classical times.  Hermes is depicted as resting in a contrapposto position—resting on his right leg.

It was seen by the traveler Pausanias in the second century A.D. and many believe that this statue is actually the original of Praxiteles—to be dated to about 330 B.C.  However, because of the style of sandals many now consider it to be a Roman copy of the original.