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Barberini Hera
Marble, 3.27 m., early 2nd century BC, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican City
Photograph by Jamie Heath
 
 
The statue, also known as the Barberini Juno, was discovered in Rome, on the Viminal Hill, during excavations initiated by Cardinal Francesco Barberini. It is in remarkably good condition; only the arms, which were originally crafted and attached separately, are missing and have since been restored. However, there was little room for error in the restoration. The head is exceptionally well preserved and intact, apart from the nose, which is a modern addition. Both the head and part of the bare chest were carved from a separate block of marble and inserted into the main body. The feet, too, were attached separately; the left foot is a modern restoration. Assembling large marble statues from multiple pieces was a common and skilful practice in antiquity. It allowed sculptors to economise on material and reduce the cost of producing large-scale works. This statue is a Roman copy from the second century BC, probably made for a noble’s palace, though it may have been intended for a shrine. It replicates a lost Greek original dating from just before or during the Peloponnesian War. The Greek work must have gained considerable renown, as it was frequently copied. A particularly fine example, discovered in the ruins of a Roman villa on the Sabine Hills, is now in Copenhagen. That copy dates from the Augustan period and lacks the diadem seen on our statue, as it was customary in early marble sculptures to attach such decorative elements separately in metal. The style of this statue, as preserved in these copies, shows a clear connection to an equally well-known representation of Aphrodite, often depicted wearing a thin, ungirded garment. Both statues are thought to be by the same artist. The Aphrodite is believed to trace back to Alcamenes, the renowned pupil of Phidias, and the statue of Hera is likely his work as well. Although the identification of the goddess as Hera is not certain—since this type has not been definitively associated with any known representations of Hera or Juno—it remains highly plausible. The name Hera best aligns with the statue’s overall concept and details. What stands before us is a powerful and dignified figure: a noble goddess, truly a queen and ruler. She does not lift her head arrogantly; instead, she inclines it slightly, as if to grant the wishes of those who approach her with reverence. As with Aphrodite, she wears a thin, loose undergarment through which the strong contours of her body are visible, slipping off one shoulder. However, the lower part of her figure is covered by a thick, heavy cloak, conveying solemnity and dignity. The cloak drapes over her left shoulder, is drawn across her back to the right hip, and then over to the left, where it is held firmly in place by her left elbow. It falls forward in a large triangular fold, similar to the drapery seen in the statue of Athena of Velletri. In both statues, this arrangement lends a distinctive majesty to the goddess’s presence. There are further similarities with the Athena statue in terms of stance and posture. The goddess stands on her left foot, with the right foot drawn back, suggesting forward movement. Both statues feature bare feet in the thick, heavy sandals typical of gods from the Phidian period, also worn by the Athena Parthenos. The positioning of the arms and the tilt of the head also correspond: in the Athena statue, the raised right hand holds a spear; in this statue, it holds a sceptre. The extended left arm carries an object that remains uncertain, possibly a vessel for offerings, as the restorer has conjectured. Her wavy hair, adorned with a diadem, is brushed back and gathered in a scarf at the back—identical to the hairstyle seen in the Aphrodite mentioned earlier. Yet the expression of this goddess’s face differs from Aphrodite’s tender, smiling grace. While not devoid of regal gentleness, her gaze is serious and stern. In this way, the statue embodies the image of Hera as portrayed in myth and poetry: the exalted wife of Zeus, queen of the heavens, and protector of marriage among mortals.