THIS MARBLE STATUE is a Roman copy of a bronze original, now lost, attributed to the Greek sculptor Myron (fl. 470-440 вс). It captures the moment before the discus is released and illustrates the classical ideal of rhythmos, or harmony and balance.

The original statue was already famous in Roman times, and this is only one of several copies. It was restored in Italy soon after its discovery in 1791 in the villa of the emperor Hadrian, but with a different head set at the wrong angle. The popularity of the sculpture in antiquity was due to its representation of the athletic ideal. Discus-throwing was one of the five sporting events that made up the pentathlon. Pentathletes were much admired for their physical appearance: as no one set of muscles was overdeveloped, their overall proportions were considered particularly harmonious.



From Hadrians Villa in Tivoli, Lazio, Italy Roman copy of a bronze original of the 5th century вс Ht 170 cm Townley Collection