Getty Museum

Back Panel of a Three-Disk Cuirass

Date

4th century B.C.

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Italic (Samnite)

Department

Armor

Institution

Getty Museum

The piece is the back panel of a three-disk cuirass (breast-plate), which attaches to the front by two flat shoulder straps. The finials of the clasps that attach to the shoulder straps are designed as frontal heads of bearded satyrs where they join to the cuirass, and as elongated palmettes where they join to the straps. The incised figure on this back panel mirrors the central position of Hermes on the front. Here, Hermes is depicted as a nude youth wearing a petasos (traveler's hat) and boots, and holding his cauceus (symbolic staff with two entwined snakes and two wings at the top), tip down, in his right hand. His left arm is extended forward. He wears a clock that is clasped around his neck, and fans out behind him in two large folds.

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