Roman Times: Emaciated Hephaistos in ancient Greek art

I have been working on my friend Allan Gluck's images of ancient art on display at the Dumbarton Oaks Museum and he accidentally associated a description of a statuette of a seated emaciated man with Hephaistos, the god of metalworking. But, this association may have been fortuitous after all. The museum does have a statuette of a well-muscled god identified as Hephaistos and dated to the 5th century BCE but, upon checking the museum website, I found the curators identify the emaciated man as a 1st century CE Roman copy of a 2nd century BCE Greek work, claiming an inscription along the hem of the man's garment may identify him as Perdikkas, a youth who had neglected to sacrifice to Aphrodite while studying in Athens. As retribution, the vengeful goddess cursed him with a love for his own mother, which caused him to waste away. I am always curious when the identification is tentative ("may" point to Perdikkas).

Emaciated statuette of Hephaistos (?) photographed at the Dumbarton Oaks Museum in Washington D.C. by Allan Gluck, 1st century CE Roman copy of a 2nd century BCE Greek original (?)

Before I double checked the museum's website for information about the sculpture and assumed it was a piece from the 5th century BCE, I asked Bard if Hephaistos was portrayed as emaciated in 5th century BCE Greek art and it replied:

"The earliest known depictions of Hephaistos are from the 7th century BCE, and they all show him as a thin, wiry figure. One of the most famous examples is a bronze statuette from Olympia that dates to the 7th century BCE.

"Hephaistos was often depicted as an emaciated man in 5th century BCE Greek art for a number of reasons.

"In this statuette, Hephaistos is standing naked and is holding a hammer and tongs. He is very thin, and his ribs are clearly visible. His face is also gaunt, and his eyes are sunken. This is a very different image of Hephaistos from the one that we are familiar with from later Greek art, in which he is usually depicted as a muscular, well-built god.

"The reason why Hephaistos was depicted as emaciated in early Greek art is not entirely clear. Some scholars believe that it is a reflection of his divine nature, as gods were often seen as being more spiritual than physical. Others believe that it is a reflection of his association with fire and metalworking, as these activities can be very demanding on the body. Still others believe that it is simply a result of the artistic style of the time, as early Greek artists were not as interested in depicting the human form in a realistic way.

"Regardless of the reason, the image of Hephaistos as an emaciated god persisted in Greek art for centuries. It is only in the 5th century BCE that we see a shift away from this depiction, as artists begin to portray Hephaistos as a more muscular and athletic figure. This change in portrayal is likely a reflection of the changing aesthetic ideals of the time, as the Greeks became increasingly interested in depicting the human form in a more realistic way.

"However, the image of Hephaistos as an emaciated god never completely disappeared from Greek art. It continued to be used in some contexts, and it also found its way into later Western art. Even today, the image of Hephaistos as a thin, wiry figure is still familiar to many people. It is a reminder of the enduring power of the Greek myths and the rich history of Greek art."

Bard then summarized the reasons Hephaistos was depicted this way in early Greek art:

"His divine nature: As a god, Hephaistos was not subject to the same physical limitations as humans. He was therefore able to be depicted in a way that would not be possible for a mortal, such as being emaciated or having a deformity. This emaciated appearance was seen as a reflection of his divine nature and his role as the god of fire and metalworking.

"His association with fire: Fire is a force of nature that is both destructive and creative. Hephaistos, as the god of fire, was seen as embodying both of these qualities. His emaciated appearance could be seen as a reflection of the destructive power of fire.

"His association with metalworking: Metalworking is a physically demanding task that can be harmful to the body. Hephaistos, as the god of metalworking, was seen as being exposed to these dangers on a daily basis. His emaciated appearance could be seen as a reflection of the physical toll that metalworking takes on the body."

I found this last reason particularly compelling since some scholars, including M. Harper in his/her paper, "Possible toxic metal exposure of prehistoric bronze workers," points out Hephaestus's appearance and physical disability are taken by some scholars to represent peripheral neuropathy and skin cancer resulting from arsenicosis caused by arsenic exposure from metalworking. Bronze Age smiths added arsenic to copper to produce harder arsenical bronze, especially during periods of tin scarcity. Many Bronze Age smiths would have suffered from chronic arsenic poisoning as a result of their livelihood. Consequently, the mythic image of the disabled smith is widespread. As Hephaestus was an iron-age smith, not a bronze-age smith, it is thought the connection is one from ancient folk memory.

All of this informaton seemed to support the identification of the emaciated figure as Hephaistos after all. But what about the inscription? Bard observed that the inscription actually indicated a relationship to Hephaistos as well.

"Based on the inscription and its similarity to the Greek name Perdikkas, it is reasonable to conclude that the ancient statuette of an emaciated man likely depicts Hephaistos, the Greek god of fire, metalworking, and craftsmanship. The name Perdikkas is believed to be of Greek origin and is related to the Greek words for 'plain' or 'field' and 'justice' or 'judgment.' ...the name Perdikkas suggests a connection to the Greek concept of order and structure, which aligns with Hephaistos' role as a skilled artisan and craftsman.

'The emaciated appearance of the statuette further supports the identification as Hephaistos. In Greek mythology, Hephaistos was often portrayed as a thin, wiry figure due to his association with fire and metalworking, which were considered physically demanding and potentially harmful occupations. This depiction contrasted with the idealized athletic figures often seen in Greek art, reflecting Hephaistos' unique nature and his role as a god of both creation and destruction.

"While the exact meaning of the inscription remains uncertain, the similarity in spelling and the association with Greek mythology provide strong evidence to support the identification of the statuette as Hephaistos...The name "Perdikkas" was primarily used in ancient Greece and Macedonia, regions where Hephaistos was a prominent deity. This geographical association further supports the connection between the name and the god. The name "Perdikkas" was also associated with noble and powerful figures, often rulers and generals. This association with leadership and authority could be seen as aligning with Hephaistos' position as a respected and influential god in the Greek pantheon."

Another aspect of the sculpture that I feel points to Hephaistos is the portrayal of the figure in a seated pose. Because of his lameness, Hephaistos is often portrayed as seated as we see in a fresco from the House of Paccius Alexander in Pompeii. There, a seated Hephaistos displays Achilles shield to Thetis, Achilles' mother.

Fresco of Hephaistos presenting Achilles shield to his mother Thetis from the House of Paccius Alexander, Pompeii (IX 1,7) courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributor Marie-Lan Nguyen.

So, what about the attribution that the sculpture is a 1st century CE Roman copy of a 2nd century BCE Greek original? The museum says the piece is said to have been found in the Aisne River, near Soissons, France. By 1844, the sculpture became part of the private collection of the Vicomte de Jessaiint (1764-1853) then was sold or inherited by a number of collectors since that time.

Did the Celts of 1st century Gaul, themselves, worship Hephaistos?

Bard:

"Yes, there are several sculptures of Hephaistos from Gaul that have been dated to the 1st century CE. Some of the most famous examples include:

"Head of Hephaistos from Amiens: This bronze statuette was found in the city of Amiens, France. It depicts Hephaistos as a bearded, middle-aged man with a hammer and tongs. The statuette is dated to the 1st century CE.

"Torso of Hephaistos from Lyon: This bronze statuette was found in the city of Lyon, France. It depicts Hephaistos as a muscular, well-built man with a hammer and tongs. The statuette is dated to the 1st century CE.

"Relief of Hephaistos from Reims: This stone relief was found in the city of Reims, France. It depicts Hephaistos as a bearded, middle-aged man forging armor in his workshop. The relief is dated to the 1st century CE.

"Statuette of Hephaistos from Autun: This bronze statuette was found in the city of Autun, France. It depicts Hephaistos as a bearded, middle-aged man with a hammer and tongs. The statuette is dated to the 1st century CE.

"These sculptures are just a few examples of the many sculptures of Hephaistos that have been found in Gaul. These sculptures show that Hephaistos was a popular god in Gaul, and they provide valuable information about the role of Hephaistos in Gaulish religion and culture.

"In addition to the sculptures, there are also a number of other artifacts from Gaul that depict Hephaistos. These artifacts include coins, pottery, and jewelry. The presence of so many images of Hephaistos in Gaul suggests that he was a very important god in the region.

"The worship of Hephaistos in Gaul continued into the Roman period. The Romans adopted Hephaistos into their pantheon, and they continued to worship him as the god of fire, metalworking, and craftsmanship. The Romans also built temples to Hephaistos in Gaul, and they continued to use his image on coins and other artifacts."

But, I wondered if the Gauls depicted Hephaistos as emaciated?

Bard:

"Sculptures of an emaciated Hephaistos are rare in Gaul. While Hephaistos was worshipped in Gaul during the Roman period, he was typically depicted as a muscular, well-built man. Emaciated depictions of Hephaistos were more common in Greek art, where they reflected his association with fire and metalworking.

"There are a few possible reasons why emaciated depictions of Hephaistos were rare in Gaul. One possibility is that the Gauls did not see Hephaistos in the same way as the Greeks. The Greeks saw Hephaistos as a god of both creation and destruction, and they often depicted him as an emaciated figure to reflect his association with the destructive power of fire. However, the Gauls may have seen Hephaistos more as a god of creation and craftsmanship, and they may not have felt the need to depict him as an emaciated figure.

"Another possibility is that the Gauls were influenced by Roman art, which typically depicted Hephaistos as a muscular, well-built man. The Romans conquered Gaul in the 1st century BCE, and their influence on Gaulish art and culture is evident in many areas. It is possible that the Gauls adopted the Roman depiction of Hephaistos as part of their own adaptation of Roman culture.

"Whatever the reasons, emaciated depictions of Hephaistos are rare in Gaul. The few examples that have been found are typically small and stylized, and they are not as common as the more muscular depictions of the god. This suggests that the Gauls did not see Hephaistos in the same way as the Greeks, and they may have been influenced by Roman art in their depictions of the god."

So, Bard considers an emaciated Hephaistos to be obviously a Greek portrayal. Perhaps that is why the piece is attributed to the Romans (as the transport mechanism to Gaul) but as a copy of a Greek original and not of Gallic origin despite its find context. As for it being a copy of a 2nd century BCE original, I am a bit skeptical. With the advent of Hellenism in the 4th century BCE, depictions of Hephaistos became much more muscular so it would seem to be a rarity if a Roman commissioned such an emaciated version of the god.