Sleeping Hermaphroditus
Roman (after Greek original) · 2nd century AD
The Sleeping Hermaphroditus is one of the most celebrated and provocative sculptures of antiquity. This Roman marble copy, dating from the 2nd century AD, is based on a Greek bronze original attributed to the sculptor Polycles. The figure reclines on a mattress carved by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1620, creating a fascinating dialogue between ancient and Baroque artistry.
The sculpture depicts the mythological figure of Hermaphroditus, child of Hermes and Aphrodite, asleep on a luxuriously rendered marble mattress. Viewed from behind, the figure appears to be a beautiful sleeping woman, but when the viewer moves to the front, the dual-sexed nature of the figure is revealed. This deliberate visual surprise was integral to the sculpture's conception and continues to intrigue visitors.
The work was discovered in Rome near the Baths of Diocletian and was part of the Borghese collection before being acquired by the French state in 1807. Bernini's addition of the realistically carved mattress, complete with tufted cushions and rumpled fabric, transformed a classical figure into a Baroque set piece, demonstrating the continued creative engagement with ancient art across the centuries.
