Sculpture, Marmorstatuette eines männlichen Heros, wohl Herakles - 28 cm - Marble

Fully plastic marble statuette of a naked, bearded male hero, probably Heracles.
The male figure is depicted with a strong, athletic build. Broad chest, pronounced abdominal muscles, and powerfully modeled thighs determine the frontal view. The anatomical forms are clearly defined, yet soft and evenly modeled.

The head is slightly turned to the side. The face features a prominent brow ridge, large eyes, a strong nose, and a small mouth. Short hair, worked out in individual wavy strands, surrounds the head. Cheeks and chin are framed by a short beard.

The representation draws on the ancient iconography of Heracles or Hercules, who was regularly depicted as a strong, naked, and often bearded hero. Because both arms are missing, characteristic attributes such as the club or the lion skin are not preserved. Identification as Heracles is therefore likely, but not conclusively secured.

The figure is roundly modeled. The back also shows the modeling of the back, waist, buttocks, and legs, as well as the careful detailing of the occipital region and the hairstyle.

Condition
Fragmentarily preserved. Both arms are missing from the area of the upper arms. The legs are broken below or at the knee; lower legs and feet are missing.
Old, irregular break surfaces are visible at the fracture lines. Partial discolorations and deposits as well as age- or storage-related surface traces. Small chippings and abrasion present.
Head, face, torso, and large parts of the thighs are preserved. The essential anatomical and plastic details are well recognizable.
Mounted on a modern black metal stand.

Classification

The design clearly references Greek-Roman ideal and heroic sculpture. The body conception, bearded head, and the emphatically athletic anatomy point to a depiction of Heracles.
An ancient origin, however, cannot be secured based on the available photographs. The piece is therefore deliberately described as a marble statuette after an antique model and not dated as Greek or Roman antiquity without further examination.