Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Steve Stoessel
Taken: March 29, 2019
Caption: The Palladian Circle
Additional Description: The rear garden is arranged on a Palladian Circle, believed to be based upon the gardens of a former Papal palace in Rome, Italy. With the sundial marking the center of the circle, four sculptures known as herms are arranged on the perimeter. Two of the four sculptures are of a satyr, probably Pan, the Greek god of the forest.

In ancient Greece, herms were originally used as boundary markers and featured the Greek god Hermes, giving rise to the term. Although this type of sculpture was later adapted for uses other than boundary markers, losing the connection with Hermes, the word "herms" was still used to describe this type of artwork.

The other two sculptures depict maenads, female followers of Dionysus (Roman name, Bachuus), the god of revelry and wine. Maenads reveled with Dionysus and were constantly being chased by Pan and his satyrs, who could never catch them. This story from Greek mythology seems to form the basis of the garden plan. The sundial in the center is original, the herms are replicas.
Submitted: March 31, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.
Database Locator Identification Number: p468481
File Size: 3.092 Megabytes

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