Myron’s Discoball Sculpture

Price: 4 500₽

Antique sculpture
Greek mythological cabinet sculpture Discobolus of Mirona
Powerful strong Atlanta complex in dynamic condition
Material soapstone
A beautiful interior piece with a response to ancient sports
The statue is known as the Lancellotti Discobolus because for a long time it was in the family’s private collection at the Palazzo Lancellotti in Rome. In 1938 the statue was acquired by the Glyptothek of Munich, where it remained for ten years; by 1953 it had entered the National Museum of Rome. The statue depicts a nude young athlete performing his final actions before throwing the discus. It is intended to be viewed from the right, the only way to see the athlete’s movements. His upper torso is bent forward and tilted to the right, while the corresponding arm is extended upward and backward and in maximum tension, emphasized by the entire musculature. His right, supporting foot is firmly fixed on the ground – toes literally digging into the ground – while his left foot is tilted backward, barely touching the surface. The head follows and emphasizes the movements of the whole body; the hair on the head is short and straight. Just above the forehead can be seen two bumps, used by the copy maker to indicate that this statue is a reproduction. He also added a palm tree trunk-shaped support next to the left foot and a support linking the fingers of the left hand to the calf of the right foot. The detailed analysis of the musculature, the hairstyle, and the chosen stance of the athlete, in a frozen pose while performing intense actions, all argue in favor of dating the original to the Strict Style period; most scholars place the work between 460 and 450 B.C. In 1781, two years after its discovery, J. B. B. Baker, the sculptor of the statue, and the artist of the original statue, made a decision to date it to the Strict Style period. Visconti suggested that the “statue of Lancellotti” should be considered a copy of the bronze Discobolus, which ancient authors (Quintilian, On Oratory, II, 13, 8) attribute to Myron, a Greek sculptor from Eleuthera, on the border between Attica and Boeotia, who was particularly famous for his depictions of athletes and animals at the critical moment of movement and sculpted, according to the sources, in a manner that almost surpassed reality (cf. Pliny, Natural History, XXXIV, 58), where the author praises the veritas and symmetria of the sculptor). For this reason, Myron’s works were highly valued by Roman collectors, which is confirmed by the presence in the capital of other famous creations attributed to him, such as the sculptural group “Athena and Marsyas” and “Perseus”. Besides the most famous Lanchelotti’s Discobolus, there were several other copies of the Discobolus in Rome, including one from the Imperial Villa in Castelporziano and two from Hadrian’s Villa. Disc throwing is a very ancient sport, known from the time of Homer ( Odyssey, VIII, 186), whose heroes practiced it with stone disks. In the Classical period – from which evidence of bronze disks has survived – discus throwing was included among the disciplines of the Olympic pentathlon (pentathlon) along with long jumping, running, javelin throwing and wrestling. Based on a gem with the statue and the inscription “Hyakinthos,” now in the British Museum, Lippold argued that our statue is a Spartan hero, the lover of Apollo, accidentally killed by him during the discus.

1 in stock

Add to wishlist

2 People watching this product now!

SKU: 01330 Categories: Cabinet, Sculptures and statuettes Tags: Interior, Perfect for a gift, Perfect for the collection, Statuettes

Payment and Delivery

Payment and Delivery

Payment

Cash payment is possible at self-delivery.
By cashless transfer to a card or bank account, from any region of Russia.

Delivery

You can get the goods FREE of charge self-carriage in our antique store: Moscow, Ulitsa Pluschiha, 9 st2.
Delivery within Moscow (within the MKAD): 500₽.
Outside the MKAD (up to 10 km /800p. Over 10 km 800₽ + 50₽ km): 800₽.
Possible delivery to any region of Russia, transportation companies SDEK, PEC, Delovye Lines. The cost of delivery is calculated according to the tariffs of transportation companies.

Advantages of buying antiques in the shop "Living antiquity"

Exclusivity and uniqueness

Each item in an antique shop is a unique piece with a history. It is not just a commodity, it is a part of cultural heritage, which has no analogues. Buying antiques, you make a choice in favor of exclusivity and individuality, which emphasizes your unique taste and preferences.

Guarantee of quality and authenticity

Our experts carefully inspect each item for authenticity, historical value and state of preservation. This provides buyers with the assurance that they are purchasing a genuine antique item.

Historical value and more

Some items add value over time and become more expensive. Choosing and buying the right vintage items can be a successful investment project that brings not only aesthetic pleasure but also financial gain.