Greek statuette of a youth, c.420 BC
Further images
Solid cast statuette of a young nude male, shown standing contrapposto with his weight on his right leg, the left bent at the knee, his left arm raised outwards and bent upwards at the elbow, his right lowered and bent forwards at the elbow. His body has the well-defined musculature of a young athlete, possibly a discus thrower, with powerful calves, buttocks, back and biceps. His head, with full lips, turns slightly to his right, the short, tousled hair is finely incised, a few locks at the nape. The wide eyes are heavily lidded, a single crease on his forehead. The hands and feet broken away, the surface with a fine green patina and areas of pitting.
The skill of the sculptor is shown particularly in such details as the creases behind the knees, the anatomically accurate rendering of the strong back muscles, the dimples at the lower back, and the tension of the pose.
Provenance
Private collection, Switzerland; acquired 1950s or earlier
Robin Symes, London, UK
Howard Barnet Sr (1924-1992) and Saretta Barnet
(1927-2017), New York, USA; acquired from the above 11th July 1973
Saretta Barnet Revocable Trust, New York, USA
Literature
Compare an example at the Louvre; A. de Ridder, Les Bronzes Antiques du Louvre, Tome Premier, Les Figurines (Paris, 1913), pl.17, no.154Publications
Apollo magazine, volume 94, November 1971, p.126Join our mailing list
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