Ermafroditi Dormienti

The text offers a comparison with the religious and literary tradition of the myth of Hermaphroditus, and the role that was attributed to his image in the Greek first and Roman world later on. In particular, the famous representation of the Sleeping Hermaphroditus is proposed, starting from the birth of the archetype, known through some Roman copies, of which a detailed summary of all the known sculptures is presented, including the presentation of an important non published item. It is also shown the impact in the art world of the discovery of the first copy, which took place in Rome in the heart of the Baroque period, influencing artists of all ages.