Lysippos and the Progress of Statutory Art

Introduction

• Pliny the Elder: Recognizes Lysippos' contribution to the progress of statuatory art.
• Period of activity: Second half of the 4th century BC, at the court of Alexander the Great.

The Apoxyomenos

• Description of the work: Marble copy of an original bronze, shows an athlete cleansing himself of oil after a contest.
• Three-dimensional innovation: Considered the first fully three-dimensional sculpture in the history of art.
  • Gesturality: The arms invade the viewer's space, appropriating the surrounding area.
  • Dynamic vision: Need to move around the statue to observe it in its entirety.

Stylistic innovations of Lysippos

• Non-canonical proportions: Abandonment of Polyclitus' proportions (body 7 times the head) for a more realistic representation.
  • Modifications: Elongated legs and smaller face.
• Humanization of the sculpture:
  • Details: Combed and disheveled hair, slightly furrowed brow.
  • Expression: Thoughtful gaze, endows the subject with humanity.

Comparison with other artists

• Contrast with Myron:
  • Myron: Sculptures that capture the moment of maximum athletic tension.
  • Lysippos: Representation of a personal and private moment, after the contest.

Conclusion

• Realism: Lysippos sought to reproduce not the ideal or the noble, but reality as it appears to the eyes, getting closer to the true human essence.