"Hermes with the baby Dionysus." Myth and description of sculpture

Ellada - the cradle of Western and Eastern European culture, science, philosophy, plastic arts. An example of the latter is the statue of "Hermes with the Child of Dionysus".

The myth of the birth of Hermes

The god Zeus had a stormy personal life. Hera's wife was very jealous of him. When she found out about another love affair of her husband, she decided to take revenge on his beloved Semele, who was expecting a child from Zeus. She persuaded Semele to ask that Zeus fulfill her request, swearing an unbreakable oath, and appeared to her in all greatness. With horror, he complied with the request of his beloved. From his lightning and glitter the palace was blazing, and Semel's premature birth began. Hera was angry when she learned that, at the request of Zeus, Hermes and the baby Dionysus Went to Semela's sister, who was called Eno, so that the child grew up.

Perhaps this moment of myth was depicted by a Greek sculptor. Further, Hera deprived her husband's intelligence Eno. He decided to kill his family and managed to finish with one of the children. Ino, fleeing from the madman, rushed with her other son into the waters of the sea. They became sea deities. Meanwhile, the savior of the young god appeared again . Hermes and the baby Dionysus instantly moved to the Nisei Valley to the nymphs. Or maybe this episode of the myth was sculpted by Praxitel. Dionysus grew up and became the god of winemaking, stormy orgies and the ruler of the goat-legged satyrs and nymphs. His attributes were a wreath of ivy and rod-tiers.

Praxiteles

From the sculptor of the fourth century BC. E. Praxitel until now came a little work. The one that is supposedly attributed to him is "Hermes with the baby Dionysus." About the fact that it was sculpted by Praxitel, we know from the work of the ancient Greek writer Pausanias. Some art critics doubt that the author of the sculpture was Praxitel. "Hermes with the baby Dionysus" is made in a reception that is not characteristic of the classics. The sculptor lived so long ago that it is difficult to reconstruct the exact biography. It is known that he lived in Athens. He was raised by sculptor father Kefysodot. His workshop was visited by philosophers, artists, poets.

Praxitel grew up in an atmosphere of high creative disputes about art. It is also known that he loved the beautiful Frin. In his youth Praxitel repeatedly creates captivating female images. The best, in rapturous descriptions, is Aphrodite of Cnidus. Pilgrims were going to the town of Knid to admire the perfect work. The original did not survive. There are only a few copies on which you can judge how affectionate, feminine and charming was the image created by inspired love.

In the years of maturity, in 334, Praxitel performed the sculptural work "Hermes with the Child of Dionysus." We'll talk about it below. After himself, the sculptor left the school of masters, his admirers, who, unfortunately, failed to reach such heights in the art of creating life and beautiful images.

Excavations of German archaeologists

In 1874, the Greek state signed an agreement with Germany on archaeological research. In their course on May 8, 1887, a sculpture was found covered with a thick layer of clay. It was called "Hermes with the Baby Dionysus." It was found in the ruins of the temple of Hera in the town of Olympia, which was previously a mere settlement in the Peloponnese, where the Olympic Games arose and were held.

The find of Ernst Curtius

The honor of this discovery belongs to E. Curtius. A two-meter tall sculpture of a young man standing, leaning against a tree covered with a cloak, well preserved head, trunk, legs and partially hands. Hermes, like today, lacked a right forearm and a left arm. Dionysus does not have a left arm and a right foot. The face and torso of Hermes amaze with polishing, while behind it are traces of a chisel and a rasp, which indicates the incompleteness of the work. The very same sculptural group is made of the best Paros marble. It stands on a base of gray limestone, surrounded by two blocks of marble. The sculpture was hardly very famous, since there was not a single copy of it.

"Hermes with baby Dionysus": description

It seems that the Praxitel's circular composition was intended for planar perception. He did not expect that the viewer would bypass it. The sculptor wanted to show a gentle and harmonious relationship. This static image is in a relaxed state. For this purpose, the support on which Hermes rests is intended. Her soft fabric shades the shining Dionysus. It is light and elegant. Everyone assumes that Hermes was holding a bunch of grapes in his hand, to which the baby is stretching. They are bound not only by physical, but also spiritual ties: a sweet game, when Hermes contemplates the movement of the child. The gaze of the god is full of tender care. His face is beautiful and noble. A hair cap with curls, in which the light is crushed, leaves its perfect face open. And all appearance, elongated, full of elegance. The ratio of parts of the figures is harmonious. If we consider the whole composition, then 1/3 (A) is the upper part, in which Hermes holds Dionysus, and the lower part goes from the waist to the end of the legs (B). The figure of the god can be divided into unequal parts: 1/3 (C) - the head, 2/3 (D) - his torso to the waist with the baby on his hands. The lower part of the composition also observes these proportions: 2/3 (E) occupies the torso and thighs, and the last third (F) is the shin and the feet. This division can be balanced as follows: A of the upper total composition is C + D in the god figure, B = E + F. Without a drawing, this is a little difficult, but if you think about it, it speaks about the nobility and harmony of proportions. The entire composition "Hermes with the Baby Dionysus" gives the world divine energy and love.