Sleeping Hermaphroditus

Behold the "Sleeping Hermaphroditus," a sculpture designed to make you look twice, and maybe even feel a little awkward. At first glance, from behind, you might think you're admiring a gracefully slumbering woman. The composition cleverly presents a figure with soft curves and a slender waist, inviting a leisurely walk around for a better view. But surprise! A frontal view reveals both female breasts and male genitals. This wasn't just for shock value in ancient times, though it undoubtedly enlivened many a Roman dinner party. The figure represents Hermaphroditus, the mythological child of Hermes and Aphrodite, who was fused with a nymph named Salmacis. This union of opposites became a symbol of transformation and the blurring of gender boundaries. This particular marble version is a Roman copy from the 2nd century CE, based on a lost Greek bronze original from the 2nd century BCE. When one of these copies was unearthed in Rome in 1618, it was snapped up by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Not content with a simple pedestal, he commissioned the sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini to carve a plush, buttoned mattress for the figure to recline on—a rather posh upgrade for a mythological being. This addition was so realistic that visitors were often tempted to give it a poke to see if it was real. So, go ahead and be intrigued, be confused, be amused—that's entirely the point.