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A TOUCH OF HUMANITY The Hand in Art: Ancient Greek Bronze Arm Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, MD Bronze arm of Hermes holding a purse lled with coins (Fig. 1). The gure from which this fragment came is certainly the god Hermes (Mercury), because he invariably held a purse lled with coins in one hand in nearly all surviving objects. Note the exacting details including the ngernails and muscle outlines on this small object which measures less than 5 inches in length. Even the outlines of the coins in the purse can be seen. FIGURE 1: Bronze arm, circa 200 BC. From the Department of Orthopaedics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI. Received for publication February 20, 2014; accepted in revised form February 21, 2014. No benets in any form have been received or will be received related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article. Corresponding author: Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, MD, University Orthopedics, 2 Dudley St., Suite 200, Providence, RI 02905; e-mail: [email protected]. 0363-5023/14/---0001$36.00/0 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.02.020 Ó 2014 ASSH r Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. r 1

The Hand in Art: Ancient Greek Bronze Arm

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From the Department of Orthopaedics, Alpert MedicProvidence, RI.

Received for publication February 20, 2014; accepted in

No benefits in any form have been received or willindirectly to the subject of this article.

Corresponding author: Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, MD, UnSuite 200, Providence, RI 02905; e-mail: apcweiss@bro

0363-5023/14/---0001$36.00/0http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.02.020

A TOUCH OF HUMANITY

The Hand in Art: Ancient Greek Bronze Arm

Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, MD

Bronze arm of Hermes holding a purse filled withcoins (Fig. 1). The figure from which this fragmentcame is certainly the god Hermes (Mercury), becausehe invariably held a purse filled with coins in onehand in nearly all surviving objects. Note the exactingdetails including the fingernails and muscle outlineson this small object which measures less than 5inches in length. Even the outlines of the coins in thepurse can be seen.

FIGURE 1: Bronze arm, circa 200 BC.

al School of Brown University,

revised form February 21, 2014.

be received related directly or

iversity Orthopedics, 2 Dudley St.,wn.edu.

� 2014 ASSH r Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. r 1