Museum Paper
Marble Statue of the Diadoumenos
Waqas Yaqoob
Professor Vitali
12/8/2010
Art History 1
Marble statue of the Diadoumenos is a Roman statue by Polykleitos from the Flavian period, A.D. 69-96. Polykleitos was a Greek sculptor in bronze of the fifth and the early fourth century BC. Next to Phidias, Myron and Kresilas, he is considered the most important sculptor of Classical antiquity. He was of the school of Argos, a contemporary of Phidias and, in the opinion of the Greeks, his equal. Diadumenos means “diadem-bearer”. This statue represents a youth adoring his head with a fillet after victory in an athletic contest. The original bronze probably stood in a sanctuary such as that at Olympia or Delphi, where games were regularly held. The Greek sculptor Polykleitos of Argos, who worked during the mid-fifth century B.C., was one of the most famous artists of the ancient world. His figures are carefully designed with special attention to bodily proportions and stance. The figure’s thorax and pelvis tilt in opposite directions, setting up rhythmic contrasts in the torso that create an impression of organic vitality. The position of the feet poised between standing and walking gives a sense of potential movement.
This rigorously calculated pose, which is found in almost all works attributed to Polykleitos, became a standard formula used in Graeco-Roman and later Western European art. This was a copy of a Greek bronze statue of 430 B.C. by Polykleitos. Head, arms and legs from knees down, and tree trunk are ancient. Remainder of a figure is a cast taken from a marble copy found at Delos and now in the National Museum, Athens. This statue is in the round and also nude, just as most of the other Roman statues are and shows us respect and dignity from that time. His movements especially that of his arms, are easy and unrestrained. A tree trunk is also portrayed next to the figure. The statue of Diadoumenos is in the round and also it looks
Waqas Yaqoob
Professor Vitali
12/8/2010
Art History 1
Marble statue of the Diadoumenos is a Roman statue by Polykleitos from the Flavian period, A.D. 69-96. Polykleitos was a Greek sculptor in bronze of the fifth and the early fourth century BC. Next to Phidias, Myron and Kresilas, he is considered the most important sculptor of Classical antiquity. He was of the school of Argos, a contemporary of Phidias and, in the opinion of the Greeks, his equal. Diadumenos means “diadem-bearer”. This statue represents a youth adoring his head with a fillet after victory in an athletic contest. The original bronze probably stood in a sanctuary such as that at Olympia or Delphi, where games were regularly held. The Greek sculptor Polykleitos of Argos, who worked during the mid-fifth century B.C., was one of the most famous artists of the ancient world. His figures are carefully designed with special attention to bodily proportions and stance. The figure’s thorax and pelvis tilt in opposite directions, setting up rhythmic contrasts in the torso that create an impression of organic vitality. The position of the feet poised between standing and walking gives a sense of potential movement.
This rigorously calculated pose, which is found in almost all works attributed to Polykleitos, became a standard formula used in Graeco-Roman and later Western European art. This was a copy of a Greek bronze statue of 430 B.C. by Polykleitos. Head, arms and legs from knees down, and tree trunk are ancient. Remainder of a figure is a cast taken from a marble copy found at Delos and now in the National Museum, Athens. This statue is in the round and also nude, just as most of the other Roman statues are and shows us respect and dignity from that time. His movements especially that of his arms, are easy and unrestrained. A tree trunk is also portrayed next to the figure. The statue of Diadoumenos is in the round and also it looks