MIRONE E POLICLETO

Rebecca Rozza

14 Mar 202015:01

Summary

TLDRThis script discusses the famous ancient Greek sculpture 'Discobolus' by Myron, dating back to 450 BC. It highlights the artist's mastery in capturing a frozen moment of an athlete poised to throw a discus, showcasing balance, tension, and realism. The sculpture's equilibrium is a technical marvel, achieved without external supports, and it's renowned for its visual and physical balance. The script also touches on the contrast between stillness and movement, the artist's use of weights within the statue for balance, and the evolution of sculptural techniques towards greater naturalism. It compares various copies of the work, noting the differences and the challenges in replicating the original bronze's vitality in marble. The discussion concludes with the influence of Myron's work on later artists like Polykleitos and his 'Canon', emphasizing the mathematical proportions and harmony in sculpting the human figure.

Takeaways

🏺 The Discobolus of Myron is a famous ancient Greek sculpture, known for its numerous Roman copies, but the original bronze version is lost.
🤸‍♂️ The sculpture captures an athlete in the act of throwing a discus, representing a moment of peak concentration and tension before the release.
🗝️ Myron's skill in 'freezing' a moment in time is highlighted, showcasing the contrast between stillness and movement.
🎭 The sculpture is designed to be viewed from the front, where the balance and harmony of forms are most evident, reflecting the artist's mastery over three-dimensional space.
🏋️‍♂️ The statue's balance is achieved without external supports, which was a complex feat for the time, requiring internal weights to maintain equilibrium.
🤹‍♂️ The script discusses the evolution of sculptural techniques, emphasizing the increasing focus on anatomical realism and the depiction of movement.
👀 The facial features of the athlete are more realistically rendered compared to earlier styles, with attention to details like the eyes, lips, and nose.
🗿 The script compares various copies of the Discobolus, noting differences in craftsmanship and the artist's interpretation, which can affect the sculpture's authenticity.
🏛️ The copies are analyzed in terms of their historical context, with some being more faithful to the original bronze due to the skill of the copying artist.
🏺 The script also touches on the work of Polykleitos, another significant sculptor known for his 'Canon' and the Doryphoros, which represents the culmination of studies on the standing figure and naturalism.

Q & A

What is the Discobolus of Myron famous for?
-The Discobolus of Myron is famous for capturing an athlete in the act of throwing a discus, specifically in the moment of maximum concentration and tension just before the release.
What is the significance of the Discobolus's pose in the sculpture?
-The pose signifies a frozen moment, showcasing the athlete's physical and visual balance, which was a key aspect of classical Greek sculpture, emphasizing the equilibrium between the body parts and the visual harmony.
How did artists achieve balance in bronze sculptures like the Discobolus?
-Artists achieved balance in bronze sculptures by using the technique of 'cire perdue', which allowed them to create hollow statues with internal weights to maintain equilibrium without external supports.
What is the 'Greek profile' mentioned in the script, and how is it depicted in the Discobolus?
-The 'Greek profile' refers to the exaggerated and idealized facial features often seen in classical Greek art. In the Discobolus, this is depicted through the pronounced facial structure and the detailed, yet natural, rendering of the eyes, lips, and nose.
Why are there multiple copies of the Discobolus, and what do they indicate about the original bronze?
-There are multiple copies of the Discobolus because the original bronze has not survived. These copies, made in marble, indicate the widespread popularity of the subject and provide insights into the original's appearance, although they cannot fully replicate the original's vitality and material characteristics.
What is the significance of the base and the 'puntello' in the marble copies of the Discobolus?
-The base and the 'puntello' (support) in marble copies of the Discobolus are necessary because marble is heavier and cannot be rebalanced by internal weights like bronze. They provide the necessary support for the statue to stand without falling.
Who is Polykleitos and what is his contribution to the art of sculpture?
-Polykleitos was an ancient Greek sculptor known for his work in bronze and his theoretical treatise, the 'Canon'. He is famous for his statue 'The Doryphoros', which represents the culmination of research on the standing figure and the principles of naturalism and proportion in sculpture.
What does the 'Canon' of Polykleitos propose regarding the proportions of the human figure?
-The 'Canon' of Polykleitos proposes that the construction of the human figure should follow a series of precise proportional calculations, with the head as the fundamental unit of measure, and the body composed of multiples of this unit to achieve harmony and idealized forms.
How does the Doryphoros by Polykleitos exemplify the principles of Polykleitan sculpture?
-The Doryphoros exemplifies Polykleitan principles through its balanced stance, with weight distributed on one leg, and its anatomical accuracy and naturalism, which are balanced with idealized proportions and a serene, impassive expression.
What is the term 'contrapposto', and how is it demonstrated in the Doryphoros?
-'Contrapposto' refers to the pose where the weight of the body is shifted onto one leg, creating a dynamic balance between tension and relaxation in the figure. In the Doryphoros, this is demonstrated by the figure's stance, with one leg bearing the weight and the other relaxed, and the corresponding tension and relaxation in the upper body.

Outlines

00:00

🗿 Myron's Discobolus: The Art of Capturing Motion

This paragraph delves into the renowned ancient Greek sculpture, Myron's Discobolus, which is known through numerous Roman-era copies as the original bronze is lost. The sculpture is celebrated for its realistic portrayal of an athlete in the act of throwing a discus, capturing a moment of intense concentration and physical tension. The artistry is highlighted by the balance and harmony between the body parts, and the physical equilibrium of the statue, which stands without supports. The discussion also touches on the increasing pursuit of anatomical realism in art, the study of moving anatomy, and the rendering of dynamism. Myron's mastery is particularly noted for freezing a moment in time, creating a contrast between stillness and movement, which is most powerfully viewed from the front. The sculpture's design, with its visual and physical balance, is a testament to the artist's ability to convey tension and readiness in a static form.

05:01

🎭 The Legacy and Copies of Myron's Discobolus

The second paragraph explores the legacy of Myron's Discobolus through its many copies, emphasizing the challenges in balancing a statue in such a dynamic pose, especially in bronze, which requires internal weights due to the lost wax technique used in casting. The copies, made of marble, are more accessible for study and comparison with ancient texts. The paragraph focuses on a specific pair of copies, the Lancellotti Discobolus, named after their historical context. These copies are considered close to the original bronze due to their detailed craftsmanship and adherence to ancient descriptions. The discussion also covers the differences between marble and bronze in terms of material properties and visual effects, and how these affect the perception of the sculptures. The paragraph concludes with an invitation to study these copies in greater detail, acknowledging the impossibility of replicas capturing the full vitality of the original work.

10:04

🏃‍♂️ Polykleitos and the Doryphoros: The Pinnacle of Classical Sculpture

The final paragraph shifts focus to Polykleitos, a prominent bronze sculptor from the 5th century BCE, renowned for his work, the Doryphoros, or 'Spear Bearer'. Despite the original bronze being lost, over thirty copies in marble are known, indicating its fame. The Doryphoros represents the culmination of research into the standing figure, naturalism, and balance, embodying the mature phase of the classical era. The sculpture depicts a figure advancing, with weight distributed on one leg, showcasing Polykleitos's theories on proportion and harmony as outlined in his treatise, the Canon. The statue is noted for its idealized facial features, symmetrical hair, and a base and support that are necessary for marble statues. Polykleitos's work is also recognized for its educational value, aiming to convey moral perfection through physical and visual harmony, with the Doryphoros exemplifying serenity and emotional control. The paragraph concludes with an overview of Polykleitos's influence on the development of classical sculpture and his contribution to the understanding of proportion and balance in art.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Discobolos

The Discobolos, or Discus Thrower, is a famous ancient Greek sculpture by Myron, known for capturing a moment in time, specifically the instant before the discus is thrown. In the video, the sculpture is highlighted for its portrayal of balance and tension, illustrating the athlete at the peak of concentration and force, just before the release. The concept is central to the discussion of capturing dynamic movement in static art forms.

💡Equilibrium

Equilibrium in the context of the video refers to the balance achieved in the sculpture, both visually and physically. It is crucial for sculptures, especially those in bronze, to stand without external supports. The video discusses how artists like Myron achieved this by adding internal weights to the bronze sculptures, creating a sense of stability and harmony, which is exemplified in the Discobolos.

💡Realism

Realism in sculpture, as discussed in the video, pertains to the accurate depiction of human anatomy and movement. The video emphasizes the increasing pursuit of anatomical realism in classical art, where artists studied the human form in motion to render it with greater authenticity in their works, such as the detailed representation of the athlete's body in the Discobolos.

💡Polykleitos

Polykleitos was an ancient Greek sculptor renowned for his work 'Doryphoros' or 'The Spear Bearer,' which the video mentions as a pinnacle of the standing figure studies. His work is noted for its naturalism and balance, with the figure bearing the weight on one leg, showcasing the artist's mastery over proportion and pose. Polykleitos is also known for his theoretical work, the 'Canon,' which provided mathematical proportions for sculpting the human figure.

💡Canon of Polykleitos

The 'Canon of Polykleitos' refers to the set of mathematical and proportional rules that the sculptor Polykleitos developed for creating idealized human figures in art. The video explains that according to Polykleitos, the human body should be composed of specific proportions, with the head as the fundamental unit of measurement, and this principle is reflected in his sculptures, aiming to achieve aesthetic perfection.

💡Contrapposto

Contrapposto is an artistic technique where the weight of a figure is shifted onto one leg, creating a relaxed and natural stance. The video describes how this technique is used in sculptures like the Doryphoros to achieve a dynamic and lifelike appearance, with one part of the body in tension and the other in repose, enhancing the sense of movement and balance.

💡Anatomy

Anatomy in the context of the video relates to the detailed study of the human body's structure as depicted in sculptures. It is highlighted as a key aspect of achieving realism in classical art, where artists like Myron and Polykleitos paid close attention to the accurate representation of muscles, bones, and the overall physique to create lifelike sculptures.

💡Harmony

Harmony, in the video, refers to the aesthetic balance and unity achieved in the composition of a sculpture. It is discussed in relation to how artists like Myron and Polykleitos arranged the forms, lines, and weights of their sculptures to create a visually pleasing and balanced whole, as seen in the Discobolos and Doryphoros.

💡Tension

Tension in the video is used to describe the physical and visual force present in a sculpture, particularly in the depiction of muscles and the readiness of the figure to perform an action. It is an essential element in conveying the dynamism and energy of the athlete in the Discobolos, where the figure is captured at the brink of movement.

💡Plasticity

Plasticity in sculpture refers to the ability of the material to be shaped and molded, which is crucial for achieving the desired forms and expressions in art. The video touches upon how different materials like bronze and marble offer different possibilities in sculpting, with bronze being more malleable and allowing for more intricate details and internal weighting.

💡Idealization

Idealization in the video pertains to the artistic practice of representing subjects in an idealized or perfected form, rather than a literal or realistic depiction. It is evident in the sculptures discussed, where the figures are portrayed with an idealized beauty and proportion, aiming to elevate the subject to a higher aesthetic and moral standard, as suggested by Polykleitos's work.

Highlights

The Discobolus of Myron is a famous ancient Greek sculpture, known through numerous Roman copies.

The original bronze sculpture is lost, unlike the bronzes of Riace and Delphi.

Artists of the classical age focused on posture, balance, and visual equilibrium in their works.

The Discobolus represents an athlete at the peak of concentration and tension, just before releasing the discus.

Myron's ability to freeze a moment in time is the main element that stands out in the Discobolus.

The sculpture's frontal view is its most powerful, showcasing a precise point of view and balance.

The statue's balance was complex to achieve in the era, especially without a base or support.

Artists used the technique of 'cire perdue' to create hollow bronze statues, adding weights inside for balance.

The Discobolus is renowned for its realistic rendering of movement and anatomy in motion.

The sculpture's details are delicately worked, with well-defined forms, showcasing the 'Greek profile'.

The eyes in the sculpture are more realistically rendered compared to earlier, more stylized representations.

The hair is naturalistic but not overly defined, maintaining a balance with the rest of the sculpture.

Many copies of the Discobolus exist, with variations in details like the angle of the head and the treatment of the hair.

The copies of the Discobolus are analyzed for their fidelity to the original bronze, considering the artist's skill and material differences.

Polykleitos, a famous bronze sculptor, is known for his work 'The Doryphoros' or 'Spear Bearer'.

The Doryphoros represents the culmination of research on the standing figure and naturalism in sculpture.

Polykleitos wrote a theoretical treatise known as the 'Canon', which outlines precise proportional calculations for the human figure.

The 'Canon' of Polykleitos emphasizes the application of mathematics and geometry to art to achieve idealized forms.

The Doryphoros exemplifies the principle of 'contrapposto', where parts of the body are in tension while others are at rest.