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Published: G. Wilhelm Nebe, “Zwei neue palmyrenische Inschriften,” in Magdalena Dlugosz (ed.), Vom “Troglodytenland” ins Reich der Scheherazade: Arch?ologie, Kunst und Religion zwischen Okzident und Orient. Festschrift für Piotr O. Scholz zum 70. Geburtstag, Berlin, 2014, pp. 97-119.
Expert’s note: Unlike many Palmyrene funerary portraits, the present relief preserves the identity of the deceased through its accompanying inscription, naming him as Hermes. This gives the portrait a rare personal dimension, directly connecting the image with the individual it commemorates. The distinction is well illustrated by the auction comparisons below, which include both the inscribed portrait of Demas and the portrait of an unidentified woman whose name has not survived.
The dating of our portrait follows the chronological system established by the Danish archaeologist Harald Ingholt (1896-1985), one of the pioneering scholars of Palmyrene sculpture. In his seminal 1928 study Studier over Palmyrensk Skulptur, based largely on portraits securely dated by their inscriptions, Ingholt divided Palmyrene funerary sculpture into chronological and stylistic groups. His system remains a fundamental reference for the dating of Palmyrene portraiture today. The present relief most probably belongs to his Group III, corresponding to circa 200-273 AD.
Syria, Palmyra, Roman period. Finely carved from pale, veined limestone with a warm yellowish surface tone and remnants of original black pigment, the funerary relief showing the bust of a bearded man identified by the accompanying inscription as Hermes. He is shown frontally with large almond-shaped eyes, the irises and pupils delineated by concentric incisions, beneath prominent brows. His short wavy hair falls in finely worked strands across the forehead, while the moustache and short beard are carefully detailed. He wears a chiton beneath a deeply draped himation, both hands held before the torso and grasping the folds of his garment. The figure is set against a recessed rectangular field.
Inscription: To the left of the head is a three-line Palmyrene inscription reading, ‘?lm / hrms / ?bl’ [‘Image [or relief] of Hermes. Alas!’].
The inscription was examined in 2012 by the Semitic scholar G. Wilhelm Nebe together with Prof. Dr. Klaus Beyer, who identified its script as Palmyrene cursive and read the three lines as ?lm hrms ?bl, “Image [or relief] of Hermes. Alas!” Nebe noted that the inscription was apparently previously unpublished and demonstrated that both the personal name Hermes and the funerary lament ?bl are well attested in the Palmyrene epigraphic corpus.
Provenance: A private collection, France, established in the 1960s, and thence by descent. Thereafter with Galerie Alte R?mer, Hamburg, Germany. The private collection of Dr. Kai-Torsten Hohn, Dresden, Germany, acquired from the above in 2016. A copy of the a certificate from Galerie Alte R?mer, confirming the dating and provenance above, accompanies this lot. Dr. Kai-Torsten Hohn is a German surgeon and distinguished collector whose passion for art began in his youth, when he accompanied his parents on extensive travels to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. This early exposure sparked his lifelong interest in collecting, initially focusing on ancient and Islamic art. Over the years, his travels to various Asian countries led to the formation of a significant collection centered on Buddhism and Tibet.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear and weathering, scattered natural fissures. A restoration to his right shoulder and small restorations to his left eye, cheeks, and upper lip. Remnants of ancient black pigment. Remarkably, given the monumental size and considerable age of the sculpture, the extent of restoration is exceptionally limited. The surface displays a particularly fine, naturally grown ancient patina, lending the stone considerable depth and character.
Weight: 90.8 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 45 cm (excl. stand), 56.5 cm (incl. stand)
Mounted on an associated metal stand. (2)
Palmyrene funerary reliefs were created to close the individual burial niches of the city's monumental tombs, presenting the deceased in an immediately recognizable, highly codified form. Their combination of rigid frontality, linear treatment of drapery and hair, and emphatically rendered eyes are characteristic of Palmyrene sculpture, in which Classical forms were transformed by strong local and eastern, particularly Parthian, traditions. The accompanying inscriptions commonly identify the deceased and frequently end with the funerary lament hbl, “Alas!”.
The present relief belongs to the mature phase of this sculptural tradition. Dating to circa 200-273 AD, it is characterized by the short, carefully worked beard and moustache, the large, incised eyes, the strongly frontal presentation, and the linear folds of the chiton and himation. The refinement of the carving is particularly evident in the hair, brows, and facial features, while the compact pose and tightly arranged drapery lends the figure a monumental presence despite its relatively modest scale.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related Palmyrene limestone funerary relief of Mattanay, dated circa 200-273 AD, 48.3 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA, object number 01.25.3. Compare a closely related Palmyrene limestone funerary relief of Maqi, dated circa AD 200, 52.1 cm high, in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, USA, object number 88.AA.50. Compare a closely related Palmyrene limestone funerary relief of Zabda'ateh, dated circa 200-273 AD, 50.2 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA, object number 98.19.3.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 3 February 2026, lot 9
Price: USD 127,000 or approx. EUR 110,000 converted at the time of writing
Description: A Palmyrene limestone relief with a portrait bust of Demas, circa mid-2nd-early 3rd century AD
Expert remark: Compare the closely related Palmyrene origin, limestone medium, half-length male funerary portrait, frontal presentation, draped costume, large articulated eyes, and identifying Palmyrene Aramaic inscription. Note the slightly larger size (54.6 cm) and the youthful, beardless sitter holding a scroll.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 17 October 2023, lot 104
Price: USD 94,500 or approx. EUR 90,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Palmyrene limestone relief with a portrait bust of a woman, circa late 2nd-early 3rd century A.D.
Expert remark: Compare the closely related Palmyrene origin, dating, limestone medium, half-length funerary portrait, draped costume and large articulated eyes. Note the slightly larger size (51.4 cm) and the female subject.
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