Six Greek sculptors . cism applies, though in a lessdegree, to the well-known statuette, in the Louvre, ofHeracles striking with his club, or to the statue, knownto us only by description, of Glaucus sparring; whetherhe was thought of as facing an antagonist, or merelypunching a ball or pad, something is implied outsidethe statue itself to complete the action. In the Discobolus, the self-contained completeness inthe action finds its expression and counterpart in thelines of the composition itself. It may be, as Quintiliansays, laboured and contorted, but the result is not, asmight have been ex
Six Greek sculptors . cism applies, though in a lessdegree, to the well-known statuette, in the Louvre, ofHeracles striking with his club, or to the statue, knownto us only by description, of Glaucus sparring; whetherhe was thought of as facing an antagonist, or merelypunching a ball or pad, something is implied outsidethe statue itself to complete the action. In the Discobolus, the self-contained completeness inthe action finds its expression and counterpart in thelines of the composition itself. It may be, as Quintiliansays, laboured and contorted, but the result is not, asmight have been expected, restless in effect or tiring tothe eye, because every part is in harmony with thewhole, and the eye is carried on by an easy and pleasingsuccession of outlines round the whole contour of thefigure. Beside this excellence of artistic composition,the clever choice of the right moment for representationand of an athletic exercise in which such a momentoccurs must also be allowed their merit. The disc or Plate XII. DISCOBOLUS, AFTER MYRON ; RESTORED CAST ; TORSOFROM STATUE IN MUSEO DELLE TERME; HEAD FROMMASSIMI STATUE To face j. 63 MYRON 63 quoit was not aimed at any mark, but merely hurledas far as possible in a given direction, as in the moderncompetitions of putting the weight or throwing thehammer. Therefore there was no need for the eye ofthe competitor to be turned towards a distant goal, butthe head could follow the motion of the arm thatswung the quoit, the position of the feet sufficing todefine the direction of the throw. A false restoration,which makes the thrower turn his head toward thisdirection, not only produces a painful and even im-possible attitude, but also destroys the harmony ofthe composition, by breaking in upon the system ofconcentric curves in which every member of the bodyfollows the swing of the extended arm. The extant copies of the Discobolus are numerous,but the one which stands out conspicuous among themfor the care and accuracy of its execut
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublis, booksubjectsculptors
