Apollo Belvedere
2nd-century CE Roman copy of a 4th-century BCE bronze original attributed to the sculptor Leochares. Rome, Vatican Museums, Pius-Clementine Museum, Octagonal Court, Apollo Cabinet, 2Photo by James Anderson

Apollo Belvedere.

2nd-century CE Roman copy of a 4th-century BCE bronze original attributed to the sculptor Leochares.

Rome, Vatican Museums, Pius-Clementine Museum, Octagonal Court, Apollo Cabinet, 2
(Roma, Musei Vaticani, Museo Pio-Clementino, Cortile ottagono, Gabinetto dell’Apollo, 2).

Description:
The Apollo Belvedere, originally in the church of St Peter in Chains, Julius’ titular church when he was a cardinal, has been in its present site since 1509. It is a 2nd-century AD Roman copy of a 4th-century BC bronze original attributed to the sculptor Leochares. It shows the naked god in steady pose and armed with a bow, emblem and tool of his avenging power. The statue’s forearms and arms were added in 1532 by Giovanni Angelo da Montorsoli. They were removed in 1924 and put back in 1999. The work was considered a Greek original until the end of the 18th century when the Parthenon reliefs were found and it was identified as a Roman copy, reducing its renown though not its charm. The great purity and nobility of the gods is represented in this form of mysterious lightness where avenging power becomes a painless act, an expression of splendour, a play of style. The great fascination of the Apollo Belvedere has, touched distant intellectual horizons, inserting itself into apparently remote areas of art: consider the metaphysical nature of Giorgio De Chirico’s Chant d ’amour, where the head of Apollo appears beside a kitchen glove.
Credits:
Albumen silver print 41 × 29.2 cm, about 1845—1855.
Photo: James Anderson (1813—1877).
Digital image courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Program.
© 2007. Text: Pomella A. «Vatican Museums». Edizioni Musei Vaticani. P. 67, 69.
Keywords: γλυπτική sculptura sculpture sculptural scultura skulptur ρωμαϊκό roman romana romano romani römisch römische römisches römischen römischer romain romaine romains romaines ρωμαϊκό αντίγραφο copy copia kopie copie ελληνική μυθολογία mythologia graeca greek mythology mitologia greca griechische mythologie grecque ἄγαλμα άγαλμα statua statuae statue statues statui statuen statuons θεός ἀπόλλων απόλλων apollon deus apollo phoebus god dio febo gott apoll dieu marble marmo marmor marbre μάρμαρο male footwear footgear calzatura maschile männerschuhe chaussures pour hommes ανδρικά παπούτσια serpens serpent snake serpente schlange φίδι balteus baldric balteo wehrgehänge solea sandal sandals sandalo sandali sandale πέδιλα σάμβαλα σάνδᾰλον σανδάλια σανδάλι fibula fastener clasp brooch fibbia spilla fibel schließe fibule fig leaf foglia di fico feigenblatt feuille de vigne φύλλο συκής chlamys clamide χλαμύδος leochares leocare léocharès λεωχάρης belvedere pythian of the del pitico von du belvédère του μπελβεντέρε crepida crepidula κρηπίς albumen print stampa all’albume albumina albuminabzug albuminpapier impression d’albumine tirage albuminé contact a contatto kontaktabzug inv no 1015~ 84.xm.635.24~