One of the most famous statues of antiquity is called "Discobolus". This is the first classical sculpture to depict a person in motion. The author of the bronze composition is considered to be the ancient Greek sculptor Myron, who lived in the 5th century BC. In the Middle Ages, the original work was lost, only a few copies of the Roman period survived.
Culture of Ancient Greece
The culture of the ancient period occupies an important place in world culture; it significantly influenced the improvement of human society. The inhabitants of ancient Greece left to descendants a large number of monuments of material and spiritual art. Especially the Greeks excelled in the skill of creating sculptural compositions. The statues that have come down to us from antiquity are striking in their beauty and harmony.
The first Greek sculptural compositions emerged in the time of Homer, during that period, individual statues and entire ensembles appeared. Hellenic sculpture reached its heyday and rise in the 5th century BC. Ancient Greek culture has left in the memory many great names: poets, actors, there are also sculptors among them. Each master had his own unique style. The sculptures of Hellas have always reflected the changes that came with the advent of a new period in history.
Greek culture and sports
In ancient Greece, sports played an important role. The Greeks respected sports, they were sure that only in the struggle it was possible to determine the winner. Therefore, this country is considered the ancestor of the Olympic Games. The ancient Olympians were the highest of the Hellenic holidays. For the first time, the games took place in 776 BC in Olympia in the Peloponnese - the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The tradition of holding sports competitions, which were considered the central part of the Olympic Games, has existed for almost 4 centuries.
On the first day, athletes and judges took an oath and sacrificed to the gods. The next 3 days were devoted directly to testing. The country's strongest athletes competed in running and long jump. The most spectacular competitions were chariot races and wrestling, as a result of which the opponent had to be on the ground three times. Javelin and discus throwing are sports in which strength and coordination of movements were required from the participants.
Ancient sculptors were very fond of the sports theme. In their creations, they were able to skillfully convey the beauty of the human body, its perfection and strength. The sculpture "Discobolus" is a vivid example of this. The author has made it unusually realistic. Looking at her, it seems that in the next moment the athlete will come to life and continue to move.
Description of the statue
The sculptural image of a discus thrower captured the discus thrower at the moment of swing before throwing. Until today, it remains a mystery who the author wanted to portray. Perhaps it was an eminent athlete and Olympic winner.
The athlete's body is depicted in a difficult turn, when the young man bent his body forward and pulled his hand back to swing more. His task is to throw the disc as far as possible. In the image of the athlete, there is tension and a desire to win.
The author perfectly understood the anatomy of the human body and was able to convey the most complex movements in his works. The discus thrower is frozen, but movement is felt in it. He spread his arms wide, and pressed his legs into the ground, his head tilted. Every muscle is visible on his pumped-up torso. This is a too tense position, in which it is impossible to stay for more than 2-3 seconds. Looking at the work of Miron, it seems that the athlete is about to straighten his body like a spring, release the disc with his right hand, and he will quickly fly to the target. But even through the tension, the lightness and naturalness of the figure is visible. The young man's face is concentrated and peaceful. It has no features, it is faceless, it is impossible to determine its belonging to any class and real emotions by it, therefore there is an opinion that the author created a collective image of a Greek man, close to the ideal.
Features of the composition
In the sculpture "Discobolus" the author managed to do what no other sculptor had done before. They tried to portray a person in dynamics, but only the works of Miron were crowned with success for the first time. Previously, images of athletes throwing a disc were frozen and constrained. As a rule, these were athletes who became winners, with a laurel wreath on their heads and a leg outstretched. This winning pose showed the importance of the result. But by the figure it was impossible to determine the kind of sport that the athlete was engaged in. Miron was the first to put energy and passion into his bronze figure, it was a real breakthrough in art.
About the author of "Discobolus"
Until now, there are disagreements among historians about the authorship of the "Discobolus" sculpture. Most often it is associated with the ancient master Myron, who lived in the middle of the 5th century BC. There are no more precise dates of his birth and death. The biography of the sculptor also remains a mystery. It is only known that he lived and worked in the capital of the state of Athens - the most beautiful and wealthy city of Ancient Greece. Information has been preserved that Myron was born in Eleutherius, a small town located between Attica and Boeotica.
The master created his most valuable creations, including "Discobola" after moving to the capital. The mastery of sculpture was helped to comprehend the teacher Agelad from Argos. The grateful inhabitants of Athens awarded Myron the title of a citizen of the city, this title was received only by the most outstanding people who made a significant contribution to its development and prosperity. Myron's popularity was very high, orders came to him from all over the country. Among his works were many statues of ancient Greek heroes and deities, which were extremely popular at the time. The author created a sculpture of Hercules, an ancient hero, myths about which are most often associated with 12 feats he performed. The authorship of the sculptor belongs to the statues of the supreme Olympic god Zeus and the patroness of wisdom and military strategy Athena, which were installed on the island of Samos. The Greek master presented the city of Ephesus with a sculpture of the golden-haired Apollo, the patron saint of the arts. In the Athenian acropolis, his statue was erected to Perseus - the savior of Andromeda and the winner of the Gorgon Medusa. Miron's sculptural works adorned Argos and a number of other cities.
It is known that the renowned sculptor owned jewelry. Preserved information of Miron's contemporaries about the vessels, which he made of silver.
The meaning of "Discobolus"
It is known that the age of the sculpture "Discobolus" is more than two and a half thousand years. Unfortunately, the original bronze composition was lost. Its beauty can be judged only by a few copies that were made during the reign of the Roman Empire. One of the statues was discovered on the Esquiline Hill, one of the seven Roman hills, in 1871. Another specimen was found in Castel Porziano in 1906.
The sculptor depicted the beauty, perfection of the human body and the splendor of movement. In his work, everything is brought together: simplicity of gestures, restraint of form, tension and extraordinary lightness. The "Discobolus" statue of the famous antique master Myron is considered to be a reflection of the ideal image of the ancient Greek. The sculptor showed the traits that were inherent in the Hellenes: purposefulness and harmony. The appearance of an ancient Greek youth symbolizes his confidence and desire to win. As a true Olympian, he is focused and calm. The sculpture has become not only a model of ancient sculpture, but also a teaching aid that ancient masters and modern sculptors used in their work. For example, it is believed that she influenced the work of the Soviet sculptor Ivan Shadr "Cobblestone - the weapon of the proletariat." The composition, created in 1927, is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. The incredibly realistic sculpture conveys the tension of the fighter-proletarian, the author accurately managed to display the plasticity and the state of the hero's uplift. All this makes the sculpture akin to Miron's "Discobolus".
Almost all copies of the "Discobolus" statue have been well preserved to this day. They are made of various materials and today adorn numerous museums around the world: the Vatican, the British, in Basel, Berlin and Florence. The marble copy is in the National Museum in Rome. This sculptural composition is considered to be a symbol of the modern Olympic movement. This emphasizes the connection with antiquity and its traditions.
