Myron
Myron ( Ancient Greek Μύρων Myron; * around 500 BC or soon thereafter in Eleutherai; † after about 440 BC) was one of the most important Greek sculptors of ancient Greece. His main creative period covers the years from about 480 BC to 440 BC, in which he created numerous bronze statues that were praised for centuries after his death. With his major work, he stood at the transition from the early to high classical Greek art. From his work, not originals are preserved. In rich of monuments of Roman marble copies after Greek models, however, three statues were identified more or less certain to be connected with the work of Myron: the Diskobol and Athena and Marsyas a zweifigurigen statue Grupe.
Myron was born in Eleutherai, a border town of Boeotia to Attica, who voluntarily gave up its sovereignty in favor of Athenian citizenship at the end of the 6th century BC. His artist's signature appears to have recognized them as Athenians.
His teacher is supposed to be Ageladas who also trained Phidias and Polykleitos been. As for Polyklet handed Pliny also for Myron the 90th Olympiad as Akme, that is the year 420 BC The specification is problematic and Pliny must be wrong here. Myron was a versatile artist, woodcarver, ore caster and chaser. He created statues of gods and heroes and athletes pictures, most of which were erected in the great sanctuaries like Delphi and Olympia. Among them were the most famous statues of the runner Ladas and Diskobolos, which was often copied in Roman times in marble.
Myron's most famous work, in addition to the runners, the Diskobol and the Athena - Marsyas group, was a Bronzekuh that stood on the Acropolis, and was later moved to Rome. In general, he seems the ancient judgment by the most convincing to have been in the representation of animals, while a certain hardness in his work recognized a transitional style to the great masters of the 5th century in his people images.
On the part of Roman art scholars attesting that he Myron - have the first duplicated the truth - although still raw in the depiction of pubic and head hair as in the older art before. However, he did not (yet) reflected the feeling or mood of the soul; however it was more varied and careful in defining its Symmetria been as Polykleitos. The v. before the 5th century AD unused word Symmetria says in the ancient word understanding the dimensional ratio, are in the different aspects of the same thing to each other, and can to " wet " - " dry", " hot " - " cold", related to parts of the building and structural members, but also to the limb of a body. Symmetry is in contrast to Asymmetria always the "good and correct" pad ratio. In the work of Myron, perhaps only in his late work, so the Symmetria is so well developed that even Polyklet could not reach him. At the same time it still lacked the emotional expressiveness. Quintilian praises Myron the choppiness of his statues, with which it the rigidity of earlier time with their arms hanging down and closed feet - meaning archaic Kouroi or Koren - overcame, and defended the work of Myron, because art was " but just what is difficult and New most commendable. "
A reconstruction of the Athena - Marsyas group in front of the Liebighaus in Frankfurt am Main, another in the Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen.
Sculpture of Athena and Marsyas in Botanic Garden, Copenhagen.