Six Greek sculptors . ersatility. His subjects, it is true, are mainlyof an athletic type; but his treatment of athletes wasfar removed from the conventional; in the case of Ladas,for example, he seems to have used the theme as a pre-text for making one of the most striking and originalstatues of ancient times. It is significant also thatamong his statues of the gods that of Dionysus shouldbe selected by Pausanias for special praise ; such astatue of the god of wine and of bacchic frenzy canhardly have been commonplace. The chief defect inthe list of his works lies in the comparative absenceof
Six Greek sculptors . ersatility. His subjects, it is true, are mainlyof an athletic type; but his treatment of athletes wasfar removed from the conventional; in the case of Ladas,for example, he seems to have used the theme as a pre-text for making one of the most striking and originalstatues of ancient times. It is significant also thatamong his statues of the gods that of Dionysus shouldbe selected by Pausanias for special praise ; such astatue of the god of wine and of bacchic frenzy canhardly have been commonplace. The chief defect inthe list of his works lies in the comparative absenceof female figures; apart from the Hecate on iEgina weonly hear of two statues of Athena, both in groups: theone associated with the Marsyas has been conjecturallyidentified in a statue which resembles that on thecoins; the reconstituted group may be seen in theJahrbuch of the German Institut, 1908, the statuein Oester. Jahreshefte, 1909. Its effect is not verysatisfactory, and may explain the variation which we Plate XV. MARBLE STATUETTE OF HEKCULES To face p. 73 MYRON 73 find in the figure of the goddess in other copies ofthe group. There were, as we have seen, at leastthree statues of Heracles in the list of his works; andthis fact seems to justify us in connecting with him astatuette of Heracles which evidently shows affinitywith his style. This statuette, as was to be expectedfrom its subject, shows a heavier and more massive typeof figure than the Discobolus; but the clear and dryrendering of the muscles is similar, and also the close-setcurls of hair and beard, which, however, stand outrather more strongly from the head. This is quitein accordance with the rendering of Heracles in Atticvases; the close-set, projecting curls are almost atypical adjunct of great physical strength. But theoutline of both hair and beard is strictly defined. Theposition and general character of the work are re-markable. The hero is represented at rest, his righthand leaning on his club, his lion
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