Imagine a sculpture of Alexander the Great. Introduced? This is how everyone portrays him famous sculptures. It is known that the Macedonian king Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC) had a special head position: his chin was raised, his face was turned to the right, and his head and neck were tilted to the left. This characteristic feature of the great emperor is described in detail by Plutarch. He notes that Alexander's personal sculptor Lysippos created statues of the king with his face turned to heaven. This was also pointed out by other, later authors. Thus, Tzetzes (12th century) argued that Alexander preferred the sculptures of Lysippos to the works of Stasicrates of Bithynia, who depicted the emperor with a perfectly straight neck, apparently out of flattery. Archaeological finds, which are likely copies of lost copper statues created by Lysippos, also show a characteristic turn of the head and neck. The first of these statues was found by Chevalier Hazard in Tivoli in 1797 and presented as a gift to Napoleon. It is currently kept in the Louvre.
During excavations in Virginia, where the ancient capital of Macedonia was located, an ivory statue was found in 1977, in which these features of the emperor were especially emphasized. It is noteworthy that this statue was created during Alexander's lifetime and must have been approved by him. Some researchers, in particular E. Schwarzenberg, supported the version that Lysippos in his works rather emphasized certain character traits of the emperor, namely pride and unbending will, rather than his physical features. Kiilerich suggested that Aristotle himself told Lysippos how to depict Alexander in sculptures in order to the best way imagine the greatest living. Leibach, on the contrary, believes that Lysippos' works were the most realistic. And Schreiber and Stewart after detailed study problems even concluded that the sculptor was hiding some (congenital or acquired) defects of his model. There are several medical explanations for the incorrect positioning of Alexander's head. Dechambre believed he had orthopedic torticollis; Schachermayer suggested that the curvature of the neck was due to kyphosis resulting from injury. The first of these assumptions seems the most plausible. The author of this theory conducted a thorough anatomical study of the statue discovered by Chevalier Hazard. This made it possible to identify facial hemiatrophy, which is characteristic of orthopedic torticollis. However, the most logical and, therefore, probable explanation for this feature of the emperor is from an ophthalmological point of view. A compensatory change in the position of the head is observed in various ophthalmological pathologies - paralysis, limitation of eye movements, bilateral ptosis, etc. The position of Alexander's head can be explained either by unilateral paralysis of the left inferior oblique muscle of the eye, or by Brown's syndrome. These conditions are usually congenital, but can also result from trauma to the orbit. Alexander participated in battles from his early youth and his biographers point to multiple wounds, one of which led to temporary loss of vision. And although Dechambre revealed facial hemiatrophy, it was still not as pronounced as the hemiatrophy usually noted with orthopedic torticollis. In addition, when examining the Hazard statue, as well as others, there was no thickening or tension of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. There is another argument in favor of ocular torticollis - complete freedom of movement of the head and neck. In orthopedic torticollis, on the other hand, rigidity of the sternocleidomastoid muscle leads to a permanent change in the position of the head and neck that cannot be passively or actively corrected. This condition makes any military activity, especially horse riding, impossible.
Thus, most likely, the abnormal position of Alexander's head, represented in sculptures and described by his biographers, is due to ocular torticollis, resulting from paralysis of the inferior oblique muscle of the left eye or Brown's syndrome.
(4th century BC)
Lysippos was the greatest Greek sculptor of the 4th century BC. He managed to lift greek art to even greater heights. Not much is known about the life of Lysippos.
As Will Durant writes: “Lysippos of Sicyon began as a humble coppersmith. He dreamed of being an artist, but he did not have money for a teacher; he, however, gained courage when he heard the speeches of the painter Eupompus, who declared that it is best to imitate nature, not artists. After this, Lysippos turned to the study of living beings and established new canon sculptural proportions, which replaced the strict rules of Polykleitos; he lengthened the legs and made the head smaller, extended the limbs into the third dimension and gave the figure more vitality and lightness.”
The main achievement of the sculptor was that he moves from depicting the typical to conveying the characteristic. Lysippos is primarily interested in the no longer constant, stable state of the phenomenon. On the contrary, he is most attracted to originality.
One of the most famous works sculptor - a statue of Apoxyomenes. G.I. Sokolov speaks vividly about this work by Lysippus: “Lysippus managed to plastically completely convey the excitement of the young man, who had not yet cooled down after the struggle, was agile, stepping from foot to foot. In the sculpture of Apoxyomenos there is not a single calm part of the body: the torso, legs, arms, neck cannot remain for long in the position in which the sculptor showed them. Apoxyomenes's head is slightly tilted to the side, his hair is shown as if stuck together with sweat, one strand of it is thrown up. The mouth is slightly open in heavy breathing, a wrinkle cuts across the forehead, deeply sunken eyes with fatigue imprinted in them. The tremulous nervousness of excitement, which the Roman copyist could not convey in the marble face of Apoxyomenes, was preserved by the bronze statue of Ephebe from Antikythera, perhaps made by some contemporary of Lysippos. Lysippos preferred to work in bronze, and in the original statue of Apoxyomenes there were no supports, which, having appeared in the Roman marble copy, spoil the appearance of the statue and reduce the lightness and mobility of the figure. The highlights on the bronze original also created an additional impression of fragmentation of volumes and disturbance of the image.
Lysippos also significantly complicates the positioning of his body: his right leg is set to the side and slightly back; arms are extended forward, one straight, the other bent at the elbow. The conquest of space by the statue, begun by Skopas with the complex reversal of the Maenad, continues. Lysippos goes further than his predecessor: if the Maenad was mobile within the confines of an imaginary cylinder, then Apoxyomenes breaks its invisible boundaries and strives to enter the spatial environment where the viewer is located. For now, however, the master is limited to only the movement of the athlete’s hand.
Compared to the statues of Polykleitos, the proportions of the Lysippos sculptures are perceived as new: the figure of Apoxyomenes seems elongated and the head is small. The professionalism of the character clearly stands out: here, more specifically than in the statue of Doryphorus, the athlete is represented. But if the Spearman concentrated in himself the qualities of not only an athlete, but also a hoplite, as well as an ideal, perfect Hellene, then the image of Apoxyomenes is less multifaceted and holistic, although more dynamic and mobile.
The sculptor is already using the opportunity to show much more fully different points view of various human states. From the back Apoxyomenos appears tired, from the front he is perceived as excited, on the left and on the right other nuances are introduced into these states of his, and other impressions are created by the master.”
According to ancient writers, Lysippos sculpted for the city of Alisia in Acarnania (western part of central Greece) a series of sculptural groups depicting the most important labors of Hercules. Made in bronze and life-size, they were later transported to Rome. Numerous copies were made from them here.
The fight with the Nemean lion is the first and one of the most difficult labors of Hercules. In the Nemean Valley, Hercules waylaid a lion at the entrance to his cave. The arrow fired by Hercules did not harm the lion, becoming entangled in the thick fur. When the enraged beast rushed at Hercules, he first stunned the lion with a club, and then, grabbing him by the neck, entered into mortal combat with him.
The composition of the group has the form of a pyramid formed by the figures of Hercules and a lion, which allows the group to be viewed from all sides.
G. D. Belov talks about the statue: “The hero’s pose is stable - his legs are widely spaced, he feels solid support under him. Hercules grabbed the lion by the neck with his hands and strangled him. The hands of Hercules are a gradually shrinking ring. Will the beast be able to escape from this deadly ring, will the lion be able to free himself from the tight embrace of Hercules?
The fight has already reached its end highest voltage. Hercules with enormous power squeezes the lion's neck. All his muscles were swollen to the limit - on his chest, arms and legs they appeared as elastic mounds. Even on the back - and there all the muscles began to move; here the sculptor deliberately exaggerates them, but in fact on the back they are less developed and do not reach such sizes. But the artist needed to show this excessive swelling of the muscles to express the tension achieved by the struggle of two powerful opponents.
If the pose of Hercules is stable and confident, if the hero is still full of unexhausted strength, then the position of the lion is completely different. The lion rests against Hercules with its front paws, trying with all its might to break away from him, but the beast’s hind legs and long body create the impression of instability. Stand on hind legs, and even more so, it is unusual for a lion to fight in such a position. The lion's intention was to jump with such force as to throw the enemy to the ground with a blow from his heavy body and gnaw him in a lying position. But the lion failed to do this - the enemy turned out to be strong enough to withstand the terrible blow of the lion, and not only withstand and stay on his feet, but also move from defense to active struggle. Hercules, intercepting the lion’s leap, forced him to enter into single combat in a position unfavorable for the lion; this circumstance immediately affected the development of the fight - the advantage in it was on the side of Hercules.”
Another copy of the master's original has survived. A small figurine of Hercules depicts the hero sitting on a lion skin thrown over a rock.
Young Hercules feasts on Olympus, among the gods, where he was miraculously transported at the end of his earthly life.
The figurine was a gift from Lysippos to Alexander the Great. Tradition says that Alexander loved this figurine so much that he did not part with it even on campaigns, and when he was dying, he ordered it to be placed before his eyes.
The school of Lysippos includes a statue of resting Hermes. The latter is breathing heavily, sitting on the edge of the cliff. Probably, having rested, he will again continue running quickly. And only the sandals of Hermes with buckles on the feet, in which one cannot run, but only fly, indicate the divinity of the image.
In the same complex, tense pose, Lysippos shows Eros, pulling the string of his bow. This is how G.D. Belov describes this work: “Eros is depicted as a naked boy holding a bow in his hands, onto which he is trying to pull the string. To carry out this action, a very great effort was required, which determined the composition of the figure. Eros is bent strongly, his legs and torso are in the same plane, his arms are extended in left side, the head is turned in the same direction. Parallel lines intersect with the line of the legs and the plane of the torso, the lower part of the figure is directed forward, while the shoulders and torso are tilted to the right; some forces counteract others, all this imparts movement to the figure, making it dynamic. Moreover, built in different planes, the figure of Eros requires depth and space. The composition of the statue of Eros in some of its parts resembles the setting of the figure of Apoxyomenes.
Eros's adolescent body is different characteristic features: it is not yet fully developed, tender, with a large head, full cheeks, and plump lips of a small mouth. Eros is one of the first attempts to depict a child figure in Greek art."
Having parted with the type for the sake of the individual, with convention for the sake of impressionism, Lysippos managed to make a breakthrough into new areas, almost becoming the founder of Greek portrait sculpture. Alexander the Great liked the busts of his work so much that he appointed Lysippos his court sculptor, just as he had previously granted the exclusive right to paint his portraits to Apelles and carve them on gems to Pyrgotelus.
The following poems have been preserved about the sculptor’s royal portraits:
Alexander's look and his whole appearance full of courage
Lysippos poured it out of copper. It’s as if this copper lives.
It seems that, looking at Zeus, the statue says to him:
“I take the land for myself, you own Olympus.”
In the later copies that have reached us you can see a portrait strong man, whose consciousness was stirred up by inner turmoil and excitement. Anxiety appears in the pathetic features of the commander. It is perceived either as a harbinger of the dramatic centuries of Hellenism, or as a flash of longing for the once characteristic classic man and now lost confidence and peace.
Artistic heritage Lysippos was also huge in number. An ancient legend says that Lysippos set aside one gold coin from the payment he received for each of his works. After his death there were 1500 of them! And this despite the fact that some of Lysippos’ works were multi-figured. Such, for example, is the group of Alexander and his warriors, participants in the battle of Granicus - the first big battle with the Persians during Alexander’s campaign in Asia. There are twenty horsemen depicted there. Some of the statues of Lysippos even reached colossal sizes: the statue of Zeus in Tarentum (in southern Italy) reached a height of over 20 meters.
It is likely that the legend exaggerates the number of works of Lysippos. His sons, assistants and students also worked in his workshop. But there is no doubt about the enormous creative energy of Lysippos. The same legend says: trying to finish his last piece, the master brought himself to exhaustion, as a result of which he died.
The nature of Lysippos's work ensured his fame far beyond the Greek world. He was often compared to Phidias himself. Martial wrote in one of his epigrams:
I asked Vindex about Alcides:
“Whose hand made it so well?”
As always, he smiled and winked:
“Don’t you know Greek, poet?
There’s a name at the foot of it.”
I read Lysippos, but thought it was Phidias.”
Lysippos is considered the last sculptor of the ancient Greek classics. His work still inspires admiration. Little is known about the artist himself. However, contemporaries knew that the only teacher whom the great Greek recognized was nature.
How did the great sculptor start?
At the beginning of his career, Lysippos worked as an ordinary coppersmith. The sculptor, of course, dreamed of becoming someone great, but he did not have money for a teacher.
Perhaps the sculptor would have remained an unknown person who lived in the 4th century BC, if one day he had not heard the speech of a painter named Evlomp. He assured that the best teacher can only be nature, and not man. The artist, after listening to this speech, drew conclusions for himself and went to observe nature.
It was Lysippos who in his time learned to create more believable sculptures. He made his characters' legs longer and their heads smaller. In addition, like Skopas, the artist worked to convey movement in his works.
By the way, it is these great sculptors - Skopas, Lysippos - who are the last representatives of the ancient Greek classical era.
Features of the work
On the one side, classical works the artist did not reject. Heroism was evident in the works of Lysippos. On the other hand, the innovator’s animations were more dynamic, even dramatic, and their faces resembled those of his contemporaries.
His favorite material was bronze. Unfortunately, this copper alloy was often melted down. If it were not for the Romans, today no one would know who the sculptor Lysippos was. His works can only be studied from copies. It is believed that Roman artists were able to more truthfully recreate the sculpture of the athlete Apoxyomenes.
Returning to the features of the artist’s works, it is worth noting that he depicted people not as they are, but as Lysippos himself imagined them. Sculptor Ancient Greece Most of all I loved working on characters. In addition, this is the first artist who divided the human body into planes. Thanks to this, his works began to look lighter and more lively than, say, the monumental statues of Polykleitos.
Sculptures of Lysippos
It is difficult to fully understand what the artist’s works looked like during his lifetime. Perhaps the sculptor Lysippos himself would have been surprised by the Roman copies. His works, however, today are divided into more and less successful.
The most popular include:
- Statue "Apoxiomen". This composition has won recognition all over the world. Although the motive of the work is quite simple: an athlete cleans his body with a scraper after a competition.
- Sculptures depicting Hercules. All the hero's exploits were immortalized. Today in the Hermitage you can admire the very first of them. There is a copy of the sculpture “Hercules Fighting the Lion”.
- "Resting Hermes" God Lysippos is very similar to an ordinary person.
- "Eros". Image of a proportional child's figure.
- Colossal in Tarentum. The work reached 20 meters in height.
In addition, it is believed that Lysippos was also the first to turn to the portrait genre. The sculptor mainly worked on recreating the image of Alexander the Great. He is also credited with portraits of Socrates and the Seven Wise Men.
The famous "Apoxyomenos"
The statue of "Apoxiomen" is considered the most famous work that he left us as a legacy great Lysippos. The sculptor, as the photo confirms, not only created the statue, but also managed to convey all the experiences of the tired athlete.
Even in the illustration, it is clear that Apoxyomenos is a young man who is still excited after the fight. He seems to be shifting from foot to foot, and his hair, pulled to one side with his hand, allows us to guess that the athlete is sweating. It is clear from the open mouth that the athlete has not yet had time to catch his breath, and in his sunken eyes there is fatigue.
At the same time, art historians are confident that the marble copy could not convey the full depth of Lysippos’ work. Moreover, when in the 19th century the sculpture came to the Roman restorer Tenerani, the artist suggested that Apoxyomenes was in the hand. Soon, archaeologists found evidence that in the original the athlete was simply cleaning himself with a scraper. The dice were removed from the work.
Versatile "Hercules"
Almost every ancient Greek author had his own favorite mythical hero. Lysippos at one time chose Hercules. Art critics believe that the artist saw him as his patron hero. And they wonder what qualities of Hercules were emphasized by the ancient sculptor Lysippos?
In some works the hero fights, other sculptures show a tired demigod, in others the son of Zeus simply rests from the earthly hardships of life. You can trace the evolution of the Greek hero in three works by the author.
- "Hercules fighting a lion."
They say that if you walk around the sculpture on all four sides, you can live through the hero’s famous feat with him. From the front, the viewer will appreciate the beginning of the fight. Hercules and the lion are ready to fight, both are confident of victory. When viewed from right side it seems that the demigod is about to lose his balance. From the back it becomes noticeable that the strength is on the side of the hero. On the left - the beast is almost killed.
- "Resting Hercules."
Here is a hero after a feat. He is tired and inactive. It seems that if the demigod had not leaned on a club covered with a lion's skin, he would have fallen exhausted.
- “Young Hercules feasting on Olympus” (figurine).
The hero has already accomplished all his feats, completed his earthly journey, and finally got to Olympus. He is carefree, not in a hurry, but simply enjoying the feast.
According to historians, it was the third figurine that Lysippos gave to Alexander the Great. The ruler liked the work so much that he did not part with it until his death.
Gods in the works of Lysippos
The great sculptor Lysippos also paid a lot of attention. His works, on the one hand, make the inhabitants of Olympus more alive and closer to people, on the other hand, it is immediately clear that these are celestials.
For example, “Resting Hermes”. and eloquence sits on the edge of a cliff. He is tired, breathing heavily, it seems that he is an ordinary man who will now continue the difficult path. However, the buckles on his feet give away the god; you cannot walk in them - you can only fly.
Satyr statue. The face of this horned god resembles an old man. He is bearded, his forehead is deeply wrinkled, his eyes are narrowed. The forest god stood on tiptoes and seemed to be rushing somewhere. But if you look closely, you will notice that he is dancing his Bacchic dance, only with restraint.
Poseidon in the works of Lysippos looks majestic, as befits a ruler. At the same time, the artist was able to depict the underwater king as part of the sea. The folds on the forehead, the curls on the head, the movements of the hands - everything resembles waves.
Zeus Lysippos stands out very strongly against the background of images of the main olympian god in the works of other authors. His Zeus is not just the ruler of the world, but also a very tragic and even tired character. God, on whose shoulders lies enormous responsibility.
An attempt to depict a child's figure in sculpture
As you know, artists did not immediately learn to depict children. Usually they took the face and figure of an adult as a basis and simply “reduced” it. Lysippos was the first in Ancient Greece to decide to break this tradition. The sculptor depicted young Eros looking like a child.
The body turned out to be tender, not yet developed. The head is larger than that of an adult plump lips, small mouth and cheeks - everything suggests that God is still very young.
At the same time, it is clear that Eros is tense. The boy tries to pull the bowstring, but it is difficult for him. Now he bent over, stretched out his arms and turned his head.
And here you can trace the sculptor’s discovery - the author depicts the figure in different planes. Which gives the statue depth and space.
Court painter of Macedon
Contemporaries appreciated and admired the work of the nugget. Alexander the Great himself could not pass by. The sculptor Lysippos was honored to become Macedonian's personal artist.
Unfortunately, in our time it is impossible to appreciate the sculptor’s works depicting the commander in full height. They, like other works, have not survived to this day. The Romans also made good copies of them.
They say that the most famous sculpture was “Alexander with a Spear”. On it, the commander looked towards his left shoulder, with his left hand leaning on the spear, right hand while she was on her side. Later artists often borrowed the motif of this work, depicting kings and generals in the same pose. All great rulers wanted to be like the Macedonian.
Nowadays, “Alexander with a Spear” can be viewed in the Hermitage. There is a copy there great statue, however, its size does not exceed a few centimeters.
Portrait genre
Portraits were more fortunate. Lysippos became practically the founder of portrait sculpture in Ancient Greece. The sculptor depicted the commander so skillfully that Macedonsky did not allow anyone else to make his portraits.
In his works, Lysippos portrayed the great king, on the one hand, as a strong personality, and on the other hand, as a man who had lost peace and confidence. Often the commander looks like a man who has experienced a lot and is quite tired of life.
The sculptor did not idealize his ruler. He portrayed a man, not a classical hero.
Art historians believe that Lysippos at one time made portraits of Socrates, the seven wise men and Euripides. These were works not from life, but made from memories, descriptions and early painted portraits.
There is also reason to believe that the found Roman bronze head, a portrait of an unknown athlete, belonged to the hand of the great sculptor. Moreover, it is probably a self-portrait. Here the author showed common man with a rough face.
last years of life
It is difficult for our contemporaries to understand what kind of person the great sculptor Lysippos was. The artist's biography is practically unknown.
At the same time, historians are sure that his students, assistants and sons worked with him in the workshop. Therefore, it is difficult to talk about the exact cause of Lysippos death.
Another legend says that after each successfully sold work, the great Greek set aside a gold coin for himself. After his death, it turned out that there were more than 1,500 coins.
The artist's multifaceted creativity brought him fame outside of Ancient Greece. Then they began to compare him with the greatest classic- Fidiem.
The sculptor's contribution to world culture
To summarize, we can say that the artist “with light movements of his hands” created a revolution in the world of art. He:
- changed the proportions of the body in the sculpture, lengthened the arms, reduced the head;
- learned to depict their inner impulses in the movements of his characters;
- I tried to depict life itself with its anxieties and doubts in sculpture;
- in his works young heroes face and body look like children;
- opened the way for portrait sculpture;
- created an ideal person - depicted characters not as they are, but as the artist imagined them.
Lysippos was the most famous sculptor of antiquity. In each work the artist tried to depict the restless nature of his era. And he succeeded.
Municipal state-financed organization additional education
"Children's Art School of Pochinkovsky District"
Lecture course.
History of sculpture.
Lysippos.
History of fine arts.
DHS.
Developer: art department teacher
MBU DO "DSHI Pochinkovsky district"
Kazakova Inna Viktorovna
2018
Lysippos.
Lysippos was the greatest Greek sculptor of the 4th century BC. He managed
raise Greek art to even greater heights. Not much is known about the life of Lysippos
a lot of. As Will Durant writes: “Lysippos of Sicyon began as a humble coppersmith.
He dreamed of being an artist, but he did not have money for a teacher; he, however, gained
courage when I heard the speeches of the painter Eupompus, who declared that it was best
imitate not artists, but nature. After this, Lysippos turned to studying
living creatures and established a new canon of sculptural proportions, which came to
a change to the strict rules of Polykleitos; he lengthened his legs and made his head smaller, stretched out his limbs
into the third dimension and gave the figure more vitality and lightness.” Main
the sculptor's achievement was that from a typical image he goes
to convey the characteristic. Lysippos is primarily interested in something that is no longer constant,
stable state of the phenomenon. On the contrary, he is most attracted to originality.
One of the sculptor's most famous works is the statue of Apoxyomenes.
G.I. Sokolov speaks vividly about this work of Lysippus: “Lysippus succeeded
plastically perfectly convey the excitement of the young man, who has not yet cooled down after
fighting, mobile, stepping from foot to foot. In the statue of Apoxyomenos there is no
one calm part of the body: torso, legs, arms, neck cannot remain in
the position in which the sculptor showed them. Apoxyomenes's head is slightly tilted to one side,
the hair is shown as if stuck together with sweat, one strand of it is thrown up. Mouth
slightly open in heavy breathing, a wrinkle cuts across his forehead, his eyes are deeply sunken with
the weariness imprinted on them. The trembling nervousness of excitement that I couldn’t
conveyed by a Roman copyist in the marble face of Apoxyomenes, preserved in bronze
statue of Ephebe from Antikythera, possibly made by some contemporary
Lysippa. Lysippos preferred to work in bronze, and the original statues of Apoxyomenes were not
there were supports, which, having appeared in a Roman marble copy, spoil the appearance of the statue
and reduce the lightness and mobility of the figure.
The highlights on the bronze original also created an additional impression
fragmentation of volumes and disturbance of the image. Significantly complicates Lysippos and
body position: the right leg is set to the side and slightly back; arms extended forward
one is straight, the other is bent at the elbow. The conquest of space by the statue continues,
begun by Scopas with the complex reversal of the Maenad. Lysippos goes further than his
predecessor: if the Maenad was mobile within an imaginary cylinder, then
Apoxyomenos breaks its invisible boundaries and strives to enter that
the spatial environment where the viewer is located. For now, however, the master limits himself
only by the movement of the athlete’s hand.
Compared to the statues of Polykleitos, the proportions are perceived as new
Lysippov's sculptures: the figure of Apoxyomenes seems elongated, and the head
small. The character's professionalism clearly stands out: here it is more specific than in
statue of Doryphorus, an athlete is presented. But if the Spearman concentrated in himself
qualities not only of an athlete, but also of a hoplite, as well as an ideal, perfect Hellene, then
the image of Apoxyomenes is less multifaceted and holistic, although more dynamic and mobile.
The sculptor is already using the opportunity to show from different points much more fully
view of various human states. From the back Apoxyomenes seems tired,
in front is perceived as excited, on the left and right other nuances are introduced into these
states, and other impressions were created by the master.” According to the ancients
writers, Lysippos sculpted for the city of Alisia in Acarnania (western part of the middle
Greece) a series of sculptural groups depicting the most important labors of Hercules.
Made in bronze and life-size, they were later transported to Rome.
Numerous copies were made from them here.
The fight with the Nemean lion is the first and one of the most difficult labors of Hercules. IN
In the Nemean Valley, Hercules waylaid a lion at the entrance to his cave. Arrow shot
Hercules, did not harm the lion, getting entangled in thick fur. When furious
the beast rushed at Hercules, who first stunned the lion with a club, and then, grabbing him by the
neck, entered into mortal combat with him. The composition of the group has the shape of a pyramid,
formed by the figures of Hercules and a lion, which allows you to view the group from all
sides G. D. Belov talks about the statue: “The hero’s pose is stable - his legs
wide apart, he feels solid support under him. Hercules grabbed the lion by the
neck with his hands and strangles him. The hands of Hercules are a gradually shrinking ring.
Will the beast be able to escape from this deadly ring, will the lion be able to free himself?
from the tight embrace of Hercules? The struggle has already reached its highest tension.
Hercules squeezes the lion's neck with great force. All his muscles were swollen to the limit - on
on the chest, on the arms and legs they appeared as elastic mounds. Even on the back - and there
all the muscles began to move; here the sculptor deliberately exaggerates them,
in fact, on the back they are less developed and do not reach such sizes. But
the artist needed to show this excessive swelling of the muscles to
expressions of the tension reached by the struggle of two powerful opponents.
If the pose of Hercules is stable and confident, if the hero is still full of unexhausted strength, then
The position of the lion is completely different. The lion rests its front paws on Hercules, trying to
try to break away from it with all your might, but the animal’s hind legs and long body create
impression of instability. To stand on your hind legs, let alone fight in such
This position is unusual for a lion. The lion's intention was to jump with such force that
with a blow from your heavy body, knock the enemy to the ground and in a lying position
bite him to death. But the lion failed to do this - the enemy was enough
strong to withstand the terrible blow of a lion, and not only withstand and stand on
legs, but also to move from defense to active struggle. Hercules, intercepting the lion's leap,
forced him to enter into single combat in a position unfavorable for the lion, this
the circumstance immediately affected the development of the struggle - the advantage in it turned out to be
side of Hercules." Another copy of the master's original has survived. Small
The figurine of Hercules depicts the hero sitting on a lion skin thrown over
rock. Young Hercules feasts on Olympus, among the gods, where he was miraculously
transferred at the end of his earthly life. The figurine was a gift from Lysippos
Alexander the Great. Tradition says that Alexander loved this figurine so much,
that he did not part with it even on campaigns, and when he was dying, he ordered it to be placed
before your eyes. The school of Lysippos includes a statue of resting Hermes.
The latter is breathing heavily, sitting on the edge of the cliff. Probably having rested, he
will continue running fast again.
And only Hermes sandals with buckles on the feet, in which you cannot run, but
you can only fly, indicate the divinity of the image. In the same difficult
Lysippos and Eros are shown in a tense pose, pulling the string of his bow. Here
as G. D. Belov describes this work: “Eros is depicted as naked
a boy holding a bow in his hands, which he is trying to string. For
carrying out this action required a very great effort, which
determined the composition of the figure.
Eros is bent strongly, his legs and torso are in the same plane, his arms are extended
to the left side, the head is turned in the same direction. Parallel lines
intersect with the line of the legs and the plane of the torso, the lower part of the figure is directed
forward, shoulders and torso tilted to the right; some forces counteract others, everything
this imparts movement to the figure, making it dynamic. Moreover, built in
different planes, the figure of Eros requires depth and space. Composition
The statue of Eros in some of its parts resembles the setting of the figure of Apoxyomenes.
The adolescent body of Eros is distinguished by characteristic features: it is not yet fully
developed, tender, with a large head, full cheeks, plump lips
small mouth. Eros is one of the first attempts to depict a child's figure in
Greek art." Having parted with the type for the sake of the individual, with the convention for the sake of
impressionism, Lysippos managed to make a breakthrough into new areas, almost becoming
the founder of Greek portrait sculpture. Alexander the Great like this
liked the busts of his work that he appointed Lysippos as his courtier
sculptor, as he previously granted the exclusive right to paint his portraits
Apelles and carve them on gems to Pyrgotelus. About the sculptor's royal portraits
verses have been preserved: Alexander's gaze, full of courage, and his whole appearance poured out from
copper Lysippos. It’s as if this copper lives. It seems that, looking at Zeus, the statue says to him:
“I take the land for myself, you own Olympus.” In the later copies that have come down to us
you can see a portrait of a strong man, whose consciousness was stirred up by the inner
confusion and excitement. Anxiety appears in the pathetic features of the commander. She
is perceived either as a harbinger of the dramatic centuries of Hellenism, or as an outbreak
longing for what was once characteristic of classical man and is now lost
confidence and peace. The artistic heritage of Lysippos was enormous in its own way.
quantity. An ancient legend says that Lysippos, from the payment received for each
his work, he put aside one gold coin at a time. After his death they
counted 1500! And this despite the fact that some of Lysippos’ works were
multi-figured. Such, for example, is the group of Alexander and his warriors, participants
Battle of Granicus - the first big battle with the Persians during the campaign
Alexandra to Asia. There are twenty horsemen depicted there. Some of the statues
Lysippos even reached colossal proportions: the statue of Zeus in Tarentum (in the southern
Italy) reached a height of over 20 meters. It is likely that the legend
exaggerates the number of works of Lysippos. He also worked in his workshop
sons, assistants and students. But there is no doubt about the enormous creative energy
Lysippa. The same legend says: trying to finish his last
work, the master brought himself to exhaustion, as a result of which he died. Character
Lysippos' creativity ensured his fame far beyond the Greek world.
He was often compared to Phidias himself. Martial wrote in one of his epigrams: About
I asked Alcides at Vindex: “Whose hand made it so successfully?” As always,
He smiled and winked: “Don’t you know Greek, poet? At the foot of
there’s a name here.” I read Lysippos, but thought it was Phidias.
Lysippos Lysippos
(Lesippos), ancient Greek sculptor of the 4th century. BC e. Largest representative late classics. Born in Sikyon. He was the court artist of Alexander the Great. The works of Lysippos, made primarily in bronze, are known mainly from descriptions of ancient authors, Hellenistic and Roman copies. Anticipating Hellenistic art, Lysippos moved away from the ideal canons of Polykleitos, striving for greater life-like spontaneity of images. Lysippos' work is characterized by a sense of dramatic complexity and variability of life phenomena. In contrast to the calm, harmonious balance of the statues of Polykleitos, Lysippos depicted figures in complex, unstable, multifaceted movements that seemed instantly captured. His main job- the statue “Apoxiomenos” (depicts an athlete cleaning his body with a scraper after a fight; Roman copy, Vatican collections), internally tense in composition, is one of the first works of ancient sculpture designed for all-round viewing. Among the most famous works of Lysippos: the colossal statue of Zeus in Tarentum, the statue of Helios on a chariot on the island of Rhodes, numerous images of Hercules and his exploits, which were repeatedly copied in antiquity ("Hercules of Farnese", "Hercules with a lion", Roman copy, GE), " Resting Hermes" ( National Museum, Naples), Lysippos also created monumental groups (for example, the mounted warriors of Alexander the Great who fell in the Battle of Granicus), and was one of the first in ancient art to turn to the art of portraiture. The idealized portrait of Alexander the Great created by him (Hellenistic copy, Archaeological Museum, Istanbul) embodied the desire to reveal the complex, intense inner life of a person.
Lysippos. "Resting Hermes" 2nd half 4th century BC e. Roman copy. National Museum. Naples.
Literature: O. F. Waldgauer, Lysippos, Berlin-P.-M., 1923; Johnson F. P., Lysippos, N. Y., 1968.
(Source: Popular art encyclopedia." Ed. Polevoy V.M.; M.: Publishing house " Soviet encyclopedia", 1986.)
Lysippos(lý sippos), ancient Greek sculptor of the 4th century. BC e., court master of Alexander the Great. According to legend, he created 1.5 thousand statues of gods, heroes and famous athletes. His works, executed mainly in bronze, are known mainly from descriptions of ancient authors, Hellenistic and Roman copies. The most famous is the statue of Lysippos “Apoxiomen” (Greek: “a young man removing dirt from himself with a scraper”), known from a Roman copy, in which the author reinterpreted the classical sculptural canon in the image of a person created Polycletus. The figure of light, elongated proportions, with a small head, is presented in complex, spatially multifaceted movement. Among the most famous works of the master: a colossal statue of the god Zeus in Tarentum, a statue of Helios on a chariot on the island. Rhodes, numerous images of Hercules, “Resting Hermes” (known from a Roman copy). The sculptor created many portraits of Alexander the Great. According to legend, the commander did not allow himself to be portrayed by anyone other than his court master. Lysippos was the last sculptor of the classical era and the first sculptor of the era Hellenism. He learned to depict not frozen, but as if snatched from the flow of time and ongoing movement; the faces of his heroes are not impassive, but filled with earthly experiences.
(Source: “Art. Modern illustrated encyclopedia.” Edited by Prof. Gorkin A.P.; M.: Rosman; 2007.)
See what "Lysippos" is in other dictionaries:
Lysippos was a Greek sculptor, along with Scopas and Praxiteles, one of the triad of the greatest classical sculptors greek sculpture. Completes the era of the late classics (IV century BC). Born in Sikyon around 390 BC. Started... Wikipedia
Lysippos- Lysippos. Resting Hermes. 2nd half 4th century BC. Roman copy. National Museum. Naples. LYSIPPUS, ancient Greek sculptor of the 2nd half of the 4th century. BC. Representative of the late classics. Court artist of Alexander the Great.... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
LYSIPPUS, ancient Greek sculptor of the 2nd half of the 4th century. BC. Representative of the late classics. Court artist of Alexander the Great. Sculptures of Lysippos (athletes, mythological characters, preserved in Roman copies) are depicted in... ... Modern encyclopedia
Ancient Greek sculptor of the 2nd half. 4th century BC e. Representative of the late classics. Court artist of Alexander the Great. Creator of images of active heroes living a complex life inner life(Resting Hermes, Apoxyomenes, bust... ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary
- (c. 390 c. 300 BC), ancient Greek sculptor, born in Sikyon (Peloponnese). In antiquity it was claimed (Pliny the Elder) that Lysippos created 1,500 statues. Even if this is an exaggeration, it is clear that Lysippos was extremely prolific and... ... Collier's Encyclopedia
- (Lýsippos) (born probably in the first, died in last decade 4th century BC BC), ancient Greek sculptor, the most prominent representative of the late classics (See Classics). Born in Sikyon. He was the court artist of Alexander the Great... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Ancient Greek sculptor of the second half of the 4th century. BC e. Court artist of Alexander the Great. Creator of images of active heroes living a complex inner life (“Resting Hermes”, “Apoxiomen”, bust of Alexander the Great... ... encyclopedic Dictionary