Olympic Victor Monuments and Greek Athletic ArtHyde, Walter Woodburn
History
Olympic Victor Monuments and Greek Athletic Art
Hyde, Walter Woodburn
Olympics; Sculpture, Greek; Sports -- Greece
Percy Gardner, in the discussion of the date of this artist,[2100] has
shown how slight is the evidence for any date later than 320 B. C.
The date of the second Olympic victory of Cheilon of Patrai, whose
statue was by Lysippos, can not be later than 320 B. C.[2101] Pausanias
quotes the inscription on the base of the statue to the effect that
Cheilon died in battle and was buried for his valor’s sake by the
Achæan people. He infers the date of his death by reference to the
date of Lysippos as either 338 B. C. (Chæroneia) or 322 B. C. (Lamia).
In another passage, VII, 6.5, he says that the Olympic guide told him
that Cheilon was the only Achæan who fought at Lamia. Gardner justly
remarks that either of these dates, the two occasions in the lifetime
of Lysippos when the Achæans took part in an important war, fall
within the dates of the artist’s activity.[2102] The dates of the two
hoplite victories of Kallikrates of Magnesia, on the Meander, whose
statue was also the work of Lysippos, must be left indeterminate.[2103]
Gardner also shows that the wish not to separate Lysippos from the
_Apoxyomenos_ has been the real reason which has influenced so
many archæologists to extend his activity to the end of the fourth
century,[2104] and to explain away the evidence for an earlier date
offered by the statue of Troilos, who won his second victory in 368 B.
C. If we once for all give up the _Apoxyomenos_, the difficulty of an
early dating disappears, as does also the theory that Skopas could have
strongly influenced the youthful Lysippos as a master would influence a
pupil, and it becomes clear that this influence must have been mutual,
that of one great contemporary upon another. Although Lysippos worked
longer, as is attested by his work for Alexander and his generals,
he could have been but little if any younger than either Skopas or
Praxiteles, from both of whom he learned. We have already quoted
Homolle[2105] as saying that an analysis of the style of the _Agias_
discloses the mixed influences of Praxiteles and Skopas, as well as the
independent work of Lysippos, in the pose, proportions, and whole type
of the figure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account