Herculaneum. Villa dei Papiri or Villa of the Papyri or Villa dei Pisoni.

Part 7. Bronze and Marble Sculptures.

 

The complex and atrium      Lower levels      Reconstructions, the Getty Villa and the Jashemskis      Monumental structure      Baths      House of the Dionysiac Reliefs and pavilion      Sculptures      Frescoes      Mosaics      Plan

 

On this page: Bibliography      Location of sculptures      Atrium      Second peristyle      Tablinum      East of 2nd peristyle & south of Tablinum      North of Tablinum      Garden       West of garden       Other locations

Bronze and Marble Sculptures

Bibliography

 

Barker E. R., 1908. Buried Herculaneum. London: A and C Black.

Comparetti D. and De Petra G., 1883. La Villa Ercolanese de Pisone. Torino: Ermanno Loescher

Mattusch C. C., 2010. Programming Sculpture? Collection and Display in the Villa of the Papyri in The Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum. De Gruyter: Berlin, pp. 79-88.

Moormann E. M., 2009. Pitture parietali nella Villa dei Papiri a Ercolano: Vecchi rinvenimenti e nuove scoperte, in Vesuviana. Archeologia a confronto. Atti del Convegno internazionale (Bologna, 14-16 gennaio 2008

Waldstein C., 1908. Herculaneum Past Present and Future. London: Macmillan.

Wallace-Hadrill, A. (2011). Herculaneum, Past and Future. London, Frances Lincoln.

Location of sculptures

 

According to Moormann, “we have the hypothesis that the villa was out of use around AD 79, when the book scrolls, to mention one of the capital finds only, were collected unsystematically on scaffoldings and in crates in a room not far from the atrium and some of the garden statues were standing under the portico. Apparently, there were reconstruction works going on, like we know from other villas in the Vesuvius area, e.g. the Villa A, so-called of Poppaea at Oplontis.”

See Moormann E. M., 2009. Pitture parietali nella Villa dei Papiri a Ercolano: Vecchi rinvenimenti e nuove scoperte, in Vesuviana. Archeologia a confronto. Atti del Convegno Internazionale (Bologna, 14-16 gennaio 2008).

 

This may mean that the recorded find location of some items may not be their original location.

Found in the atrium

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of Silenus with a wineskin and right hand on leg found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5006.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of Silenus with a wineskin and right hand raised found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5007.

 

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium. Bronze statue of Silenus found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5011.

 

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of Silenus with left hand on a panther found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5012.

 

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of Silenus sitting on a wineskin found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5015.

 

 

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of Silenus with wineskin and drinking horn in right hand found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5031.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of Silenus with wineskin and drinking horn in left hand found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5033.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of cupid with right hand on vase found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5020.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of cupid with left hand on mask found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5028.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of cupid with left hand on vase found in 1754 round the impluvium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5029.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Atrium.

Bronze statue of cupid with right hand on mask found in 1754 round the impluvium.

DAIR 39.173. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5030.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Dancing Faun statuette. Found in 1754 on south side of entrance to peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5292.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bearded Silenus statuette. Found in 1754 on south side of entrance to peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5296.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bust with a Chlamys. Found in 1754 on south side of entrance to peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5588.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bust possibly of Antiochus I Soter or Ptolemy Alexander. Found in 1755 on south side of entrance to peristyle, middle of right hand wall.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5596.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bust of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Found in 1754 on south side of entrance to peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5600.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bust of Democrates. Found in 1754 on south side of entrance to peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5602.

 

Found in the 2nd peristyle

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Herm of the Doryphoros. Found in 1753 in the angles of the peristyle.

There is a Greek inscription at the lower edge of the base ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝΙΟΣ ΑΠΧΙΟΥ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΣ ΕΠΩΗΣΕ which identifies Apollonius the Athenian, son of Archias, as the maker of the work.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 4885.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Herm of an Amazon. Found in 1753 in the angles of the peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 4889.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bust of Ptolemy Apion. Found in 1759 on south side of the peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5598.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bust of Pythagoras previously identified as Archytas. Found in 1753 in the angles of the peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5607.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bust of Empedocles of Agrigento or Heraclitus. Found in 1753 in the angles of the peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5623.

Concerning this sculpture, the Naples Museum web site says: The identification of the character remains problematic. In the past it was proposed to recognize in the piece as Eraclito, but, in more recent times, the hypothesis has been put forward that it is Empedocles of Agrigento (492-432 BC). This proposal finds comfort both in the words of Diogene Laerzio about the thick hair of the character and in the specific location of the bronze inside the villa where he made a counterpart with the bronze depicting Pythagoras (inv. 5607), who was his teacher. In fact, the two busts occupied two opposite corners of the square peristyle, an environment, of a certain importance considering that it is in the centre of the complex. This peristyle had a central basin and, at the corners, four fountains with a circular basin, behind each of which a bronze bust stood on a marble pillar; other sculptures adorned the southern portico and the extremities of the basin, which presents a series of semicircular niches.

 

Found in the tablinum

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Female marble statue. Found in 1753, north wall of peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6240.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Marble statue of Athena Promachos. Found in 1752, between columns on east side of peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6007.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze female bust. Found in 1752, in the centre of room.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5474.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze virile male bust. Found in 1754, in the centre of room.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5614.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of a Mellephebe (Eros as a young boy). Found in 1752, in the centre of room.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5633.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze bust of a Flamen. Found in 1752, in the centre of room.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5587.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Scipio Africanus or a priest of Isis. Found in 1752, in the centre of room.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5634.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Demosthenes. Found in 1753, in the centre of room.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5469.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Epicurus. Found in 1752, east of second peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 11017.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze bust of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Pontifex. Found in the tablinum.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5601.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Found in rooms east of 2nd peristyle & south of Tablinum

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Hermarchus. Found in 1753, in room where a few papyri were found.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5471.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Dionysus previously identified as Plato. Found in 1759, in room where a few papyri were found.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5618.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Marble herm of Hercules. Found in 1759, in room where a few papyri were found.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6164.

 

Found in rooms north of tablinum

 

                                                                                                                     

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Epicurus. Found in 1753, North of the tablinum.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5465.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Hermarchus. Found in 1753, North of the tablinum.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5466.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Demosthenes. Found in 1753, North of the tablinum.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5467.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze bust of Zeno. Found in 1753, North of the tablinum.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5468.

 

Found in the garden

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble statue of Aeschines. Found in 1753, in the east portico.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6018.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble statue of Isocrates. Found in 1756, in the east portico.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6162.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble statue of an orator. Found in 1756, in the east portico.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6210.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Artemis or Berenice. Found in 1756, between the east portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5592.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statues of gazelles. Found in 1756, between the east portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory numbers 4886 and 4888.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze bust of Hellenistic Monarch (Ptolemy Philadelphus?). Found in 1759, between the east portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5594.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of a pig or boar. Found in 1756, between the east portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 4893.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze statue of Apollo. Found in 1756, between the east portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5608.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze statue of a sleeping Faun. Found in 1756, in the east curve of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5624.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of Mercury in Repose. Found in 1758, near the west curve of pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5625.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statues of two wrestlers or athletes. Found in 1754, near the west curve of pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory numbers 5626 and 5627.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of Drunken Faun. Found in 1754, near the west curve of pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5628.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Bronze statue of a Peplophoros or Hypermnestra or dancer or praying child.

Found in 1754, north west corner of garden.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5603.

Photo courtesy of Miguel Hermoso Cuesta. Own work. Wikimedia CC by SA 3.0 licence

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of Seleucus I Nicator or Ptolemy I.

Found in 1755, north west corner of garden.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5590.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of Greek poetess possibly Sappho.

Found in 1758, north west corner of garden.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 4896.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of dancer.

Found in 1745, along south portico on right side.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5619.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of dancer.

Found in 1745, along south portico on right side.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5620.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of dancer.

Found in 1754, along south portico on right side.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5621.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of dancer.

Found in 1745, along south portico on right side.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5605.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statue of dancer.

Found in 1756, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5604.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of a poet or philosopher.

Found in 1756, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6155.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze bust of ideal head or Hercules.

Found in 1759, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5610.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble bust of the poet Panyassis of Halicarnassus.

Found in 1757, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6152.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble bust of the divine Demetrios I Poliorcetes wearing bull's horns.

Found in 1759(?), south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6149.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum.

Marble bust of Warrior in a Helmet or Hellenistic King (Antigonus I Monophthalmus?).

Found in 1756, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6151.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble bust of Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

Found in 1757, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6158.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble statue of Pan and goat.

Found in 1752, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 27709.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble bust of Anacreon.

Found in 1757, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6414.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble statue of Pseudo Seneca.

Found in 1754, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5616.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble bust of Pyrrhus.

Found in 1757, south side between the portico and the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6150.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of Athena.

Found in 1757, north side of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6322.

Photo courtesy of Miguel Hermoso Cuesta. Own work. Wikimedia CC by SA 3.0 licence

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of Hestia.

Found in 1757, north side of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6188.

Photo courtesy of Saiiko. Own work. Wikimedia CC by SA 3.0 licence

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of Philetaerus of Pergamon.

Found in 1757, north side of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6148.

Photo courtesy of Miguel Hermoso Cuesta. Own work. Wikimedia CC by SA 3.0 licence

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of Archidamus III.

Found in 1757, north side of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6156.

Photo courtesy of Saiiko. Own work. Wikimedia CC by SA 3.0 licence

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of Greek Philosopher, possibly Demosthenes.

Found in 1757, north side of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6147.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of Greek poet, possibly Bion of Borysthenes.

Found in 1757, north side of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6153.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble herm of a ruler or Cynical philosopher.

Found in 1757, north side of the pond.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6154.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

 

Found in excavations west of garden

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statuette of a putto.

Found in 1751, at south west corner.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5023.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statuette of a putto.

Found in 1751, at south west corner.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5027.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statuette of a putto.

Found in 1751, at south west corner.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5021.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Bronze statuette of a putto.

Found in 1751, at south west corner.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5032.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Marble statue of a boy, possibly a son of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Pontifex.

Found in 1751, at south west corner.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6105.

 

Found in other locations

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Possibly found in area V on Weber’s plan. Small bust of Epicurus 0.142m high.

According to Comparetti and de Petra, a bust which bears a striking resemblance to the two previous ones but to a less beautiful execution.

Found in 1753, possibly in area V on Weber’s plan.

See Comparetti D. and De Petra G., 1883. La Villa Ercolanese de Pisone. Torino: Ermanno Loescher, p. 258-9, p. 263 n.15, Tav XII n.6.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 5470.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. November 2018.

The “Ham shaped” sundial of Portici, on display in Naples Archaeological Museum.

Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. November 2018.

The “Ham shaped” sundial of Portici, description card. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. November 2018.

The “Ham shaped” bronze sundial of Portici. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Portable sundial in the shape of a ham.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 25494.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. November 2018.

Information card. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. November 2018.

Detail from information card. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. Head of an Amazon, found in April 1997, in the collapsed monumental structure.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. March 2014.

Peplophoros/Hera/Demeter statue found in area of collapsed “monumental structure”.

The statue is of white marble and shows numerous traces of its original polychromy.

Herculaneum inventory number 81595.

See Guidobaldi, M.P. and Esposito D., 2013. Herculaneum: Art of a Buried City. New York: Abbeville Press, p. 98, fig. 80.

Photo © Carlo Raso.

 

Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum. March 2014.

Peplophoros/Hera/Demeter statue found in area of collapsed “monumental structure”.

Herculaneum inventory number 81595.

Photo © Carlo Raso.

 

 

The complex and atrium      Lower levels      Reconstructions, the Getty Villa and the Jashemskis      Monumental structure      Baths      House of the Dionysiac Reliefs and pavilion     Sculptures      Frescoes      Mosaics      Plan

 

On this page: Bibliography      Location of sculptures      Atrium      Second peristyle      Tablinum      East of 2nd peristyle & south of Tablinum      North of Tablinum      Garden       West of garden       Other locations