The term janiform derives from the Roman divinity Janus, god of doorways and openings, who is typically depicted with two faces back to back. The two faces of this herm, a square pillar with sculpted heads on top, are diminutive versions of the rustic god Pan, one male and one female. The smiling boy has pointed ears and goat horns peeking out of his tousled hair. He wears a goatskin with the knotted legs forming straps on his shoulders. The curly-haired girl also has pointed ears, and wears a wreath of ivy and berries. The eyes of both figures show traces of silver inlay, and likely would have been inlaid with precious stones as well. The bust is hollow, and its form suggests that it decorated a balustrade, likely in a luxurious villa.
This herm is one of ten nearly identical sculptures, reputed to have been excavated in 1883 at Torre del Greco, near Pompeii. Five of these sculptures are in Naples, while the others are in the Petit Palais, Museo Nazionale Roma, Victoria and Albert Museum, and SMB Antikensammlung. Bucolic elements, such as bronze sculptures of deer and goats, and mosaics and paintings of landscape idylls, are a feature of a number of Roman luxury villas. This reference to woodland creatures would have provided the villa with rustic charm while maintaining a sense of grandeur.
