This exceptionally fine Roman torso, larger than life size, is derived from an earlier Greek statue of the classical artist Polykleitos (490-425 BC). Polykleitos was the first Greek sculptor to emphasize the muscular body of the athlete, establishing the canon for the proportions of the male body that was greatly admired and often imitated by the ancient sculptor. In this apparently rare copy of his statue of Hermes, the torso shows the god standing in an attitude favored by Polykleitos, with the weight resting on the right leg, the left leg flexed. The clear demarcation of the planes of the body and the harmonious symmetry of the design were hallmarks of the great artist’s style.