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Introduction One of the Most Famous Statues from Antiquity, the Life-Sized

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Introduction One of the Most Famous Statues from Antiquity, the Life-Sized Introduction idealized young adult male athlete. energy of the pose. Like many Severe The figure is essentially two- figures, the athlete wears his hair in a One of the most famous statues from dimensional: from any but a frontal short cap of curls and slightly wavy antiquity, the life-sized bronze view, the statue is hard to locks. Over his forehead, notice the Diskobolos by Myron, now lost, understand and even unrealistic. Such two small bumps: they reproduce the is known only through Roman marble compositions are typical of the two points from which Roman copies, and only one still has the Severe Style in Greek sculpture (ca. copyists measured the dimensions of ancient head. Roman copyists, 480-450 B.C.); compare the well- the figure in order to make an working in marble, generally added a known bronze original of Zeus or accurate replica of the prototype (in tree trunk for support, since the Poseidon from Cape Artemision. this case, another marble sculpture, weight of the figure otherwise rests Such two-dimensional works may since a bronze original was not entirely on the ankles. The have been meant to be seen only copied in this manner). In their identification of the artist's name is from the front, as if they were meant houses and public buildings, the based on a discussion of Myron by to stand in front of a wall. The Romans tried to select sculptural Pausanias in his Guide to Greece 5.112- Diskobolos is shown in an active types that were appropriate for the 20, written in the mid-2nd c. A.D. pose, at the moment where he has area: thus we can imagine a home for (some 600 years after the time of drawn the discus all the way back, the Diskobolos and related figures in Myron). The artist came from frozen at the instant just before he an exercise yard (palaestra) or a Eleutherae, on the border between unwinds and launches into making his gymnasium, where men exercised in Attika and Boeotia, but his home cast. The pose of the body with its the nude - just as our figure does. seems to have been Athens itself. inclined torso and bent knees Our cast copies the best known resembles the letter W, which fits Another artist, Naukydes, did a ancient example, the "Discobolo into a larger U-shaped curve formed diskobols toward the end of the 5th Lancelotti," Museo Nazionale delle by the position of the arms. Such a c.; this sculpture is radically different, Terme, Rome (Italy). Marble. H. 1.53 pose emphasizes the potential motion for the athlete stands still, before he m. (5 ft.) Inventory no. 126371. of the man, rather than the actual act begins winding up for the throw. Copies and variants exist in multiple of throwing, which will follow. In fact, collections. One, in the Capitoline, the pose is a vertical version of what preserving only the torso, has been an actual discus throwing would look Select Bibliography - restored as a gladiator. Other works like winding up for the throw: his Diskobolos by Myron included a famous bronze body more upright and the arm Arias, P. 1940. Mirone (Florence). cow ("ageladas," in Greek, the name stretched out horizontally. Thus, the Boardman, J. 1985. Greek Sculpture of the of Myron's teacher) and a group of artist has tilted the torso vertically Classical Period (London) 80, 81 fig. 60. Athena forbidding Marsyas (a satyr) flat so we can appreciate the torsion Carpenter, R. 19--. Greek Sculpture (---) 82- from picking up a flute. 85. in the pose. The turn of head and Lullies, R. and M. Hirmer. 1960. Greek Iconography and Style downward look of eyes make it Sculpture (New York) pl. --- impossible for us to see the facial Ridgway, B.S. 1970. The Severe Style in The term Diskobolos means "discus expression - instead, the sculptor Greek Sculpture (1970) 84-86, 89, 91, fig. thrower", and in this figure we see an was concentrating on the suppressed 122 (reconstruction). Robertson, M. 1975. A History of Greek Art For more information... (Cambridge) ---. Robertson, M. 1981. A Shorter History of You can learn more about Greek Greek Art (Cambridge) 114, 115 fig. 157. sculpture in CLSX/HA 526: Rolley, C. 1999. La Sculpture Grecque, 2. La GREEK ARCHAEOLOGY & période classique (Paris) ---. Stewart, A. 1990. Greek Sculpture. An ART. (Both courses can be taken Exploration (New Haven) 148-49, fig. 300. for Classics or Art History credit). WILCOX COLLECTION Other Art, Archaeology, and Classical Culture Courses: of CLSX/HA 525: Archaeology/Art Classical of Bronze Age Greece Antiquities CLSX/HA 527 & 537: Archaeology/Art of Ancient Rome Department of Classics CLSX/HA 529: Archaeology/Art University of Kansas of the Ancient Near East and Egypt Study Pamphlet #5 cast: DISKOBOLOS OF For more information about the MYRON Wilcox Collection and Department of Classics, please visit our websites: http://www.wilcox.ku.edu © Paul Rehak http://www.classics.ku.edu January 2004 rev. 10.2016 Diskobolos by Naukydes, ca. 420-400 B.C. .
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