[1][2][3] Each herm consists of a head and upper torso blended into a simple, squared column that tapers to a narrow width and then expands slightly outward into a more decorative, banded rectangular base.

The otherwise exposed left breast is hinted at but again truncated into a smooth plane in line with the front side of the pillar.

The male figure's head turns regally on its muscular neck to align with the proper right front edge of the column.

The surface of the skin is heavily drilled, either to evoke a wooliness of the fur or to represent the spots of a leopard with shadow.

[3] The herm (from the Greek ῾Ηρμῆς, the messenger of the Gods and patron of thieves and travelers) follows a sculptural tradition begun in ancient Greece, in which a human head was carved on top of a squared pillar or pedestal of proportionate body height.

In 2001 the outdoor sculptures were assessed, and eighteen selected pieces were accessioned into the IMA's Lilly House collection.

It is not known with certainty when this sculpture set was first brought to the Oldfields estate, but it is documented in historic photographs from the Landon era.

[3] The marble sculptures are monitored, cleaned, and treated regularly by the IMA art conservation staff.