Hygeia sculpture - Ancient Greek Goddess of health - marble base - museum reproduction head bust - pure bronze statue

Item Specifics

Condition: New, Made in Greece.
Material: Pure Bronze
Height: 24,5 cm - 9,64 inches
Width: 14 cm - 5,51 inches
Length: 17,5 cm - 6,89 inches
Weight: 3750 g

In Greek and Roman mythology, Hygieia (also Hygiea or Hygeia, Greek Ὑγιεία or Ὑγεία, Latin Hygēa or Hygīa), was the daughter of the god of medicine, Asclepius, and Epione. She was the goddess/personification of health (Greek: ὑγίεια - hugieia), cleanliness and sanitation. Hygieia also played an important part in her father's cult. While her father was more directly associated with healing, she was associated with the prevention of sickness and the continuation of good health.
At Athens, Hygieia was the subject of a local cult since at least the 7th century BC.
“ A strange accident happened in the course of building, which showed that the goddess was not averse to the work, but was aiding and co-operating to bring it to perfection. One of the artificers, the quickest and the handiest workman among them all, with a slip of his foot fell down from a great height, and lay in a miserable condition, the physicians having no hope of his recovery. When Pericles was in distress about this, the goddess appeared to him at night in a dream, and ordered a course of treatment, which he applied, and in a short time and with great ease cured the man. And upon this occasion it was that he set up a brass statue of Hygieia, in the citadel near the altar, which they say was there before. But it was Phidias who wrought the goddess's image in gold, and he has his name inscribed on the pedestal as the workman of it. ”
However, the cult of Hygieia as an independent goddess did not begin to spread out until the Delphic oracle recognized her, and after the devastating Plague of Athens (430-427 BC) and in Rome in 293 BC.