Les hermès de Welschbillig. Style et technique au IVe s. dans le Nord des Gaules

Abstract

The herms of Welschbillig remain one of the most important assemblages of portraits from Late Antiquity. Between 337 and 395, Trier had maintained its status of principal imperial residence in the West. The sumptuous villa of Welschbillig was built in the Valentinian period, within the boundary lines of the »Langmauerbezirk«, and therefore can be considered as belonging to the imperial estate. It was probably abandoned at the time of the successive transfers of the imperial court from Trier to northern Italy. The collection of herms had a short-lived use, while in Gaul and Spain, the vast majority of the statues found in late antique villas were heirloom pieces. They are characterized by a great homogeneity of technique, carved in limestone from Lorraine (Gaul) in about 375. Among the 70 herms there are divinities, Satyrs, putti, Hellenistic sovereigns, Roman emperors, Greek authors and philosophers. The progress made in Roman sculpture studies allows us to re-examine these pieces of sculpture. The preliminary investigation of style and technique will focus on 63 herms.