Exploring Ancient Herms: A Visit to the Met Museum and Discovering Timeless Symbols

Join me on a journey through the Met Museum, exploring ancient herms and uncovering the enduring influence of these fascinating artifacts.

🏛️ Spent the day exploring the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and guess what caught my eye? Herms! These ancient pillars featured the busts of gods like Hermes and marked roads, entrances, and even doorways in the ancient world. Swipe left to see the striking example I found!

🚶‍♂️Why Hermes? He’s not just any god; he’s the patron saint of travelers and the psychopomp ferrying souls to the afterlife. Talk about multitasking! Hermes is also the god of commerce. These pillars were more than just art; they were divine guideposts for ancient society.

🚄 Flashback to earlier this summer when I was admiring the statue of Hermes perched atop Grand Central Station. Mind. Blown. 🤯 I suddenly realized that Grand Central is like a modern-day herm! It’s a transit hub guiding travelers and bustling with shops and eateries, making it a center of commerce, too.

🔁 The ancient and the modern worlds aren’t as far apart as we often think. It’s awe-inspiring to see that the symbolism of herms and Hermes has traveled through time, just like the travelers they protect and guide.

🌟 So next time you pass through Grand Central or another bustling hub, maybe take a moment to appreciate the millennia of human history that continue to resonate in our daily lives. Who knows what other timeless symbols are around us, quietly shaping our world?

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A Glimpse of Mythology Above Grand Central Station: The Watchful Hermes

I’m standing here at the entrance to Grand Central Station on 42nd Street and Park Avenue, admiring the statue of the god Hermes, also known as Mercury, that stands on top of the pediment.

I met a friend at Grand Central station today and decided to do a quick, impromptu art history lesson.

As I navigate the bustling streets of Manhattan, New York, I find myself standing amidst a cacophony of the city's rhythm. There, at the intersection of 42nd Street and Park Avenue, in front of the iconic Grand Central Station, I pause and raise my eyes to the architectural marvel that is the terminus building. Perched atop this historic landmark is an impressive, grand sculpture that seizes my attention — the radiant figure of the Greek god Hermes, or as the Romans would say, Mercury.