| TITLE
| Homer |
| CREATOR | Unknown |
| DATE | 1800-1840 |
| DIMENSIONS | 24 x 15 x 9 in. |
| ORIGINAL FORMAT | Sculpture |
| MEDIUM | Plaster |
| PHYSICAL NOTE | This plaster sculpture is one of the 16 that sit atop the bookshelves in the library’s main hall. |
| DONOR | Gift of James Phalen |
| DATE OF ACCESSION | 1840 |
| LOCATION | Providence Athenæum: Main Library |
This bust of the Greek philosopher Homer [b. ca. 850 BC] is one of sixteen that circle the Athenæum’s main hall. Ten of the busts, including this one, were donated by James Phalen in 1840. Phalen, a Providence resident, was a managing contractor for U.S. lotteries. In 1838, Phalen’s Exchange and Lottery Office was located on North Main Street, very close to the newly opened Athenæum.
Very little is known about the life of Homer, best known for the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. It is believed that Demodokos, a blind traveling singer from the Odyssey, may be a self-portrait of the poet. As a result, most images of Homer have been created in the character’s likeness.
Though the original bust from which this plaster copy is derived is unidentified, it resembles other Hellenistic examples of Homer’s likeness.