The ''Discophoros'', also spelled ''Discophorus'' (Greek – " Discus-Bearer"), was a bronze sculpture by the classical Greek sculptor Polyclitus, creator of the '' Doryphoros'' and ''

Diadumenos The ''Diadumenos'' ("diadem-bearer"), together with the ''Doryphoros'' (spear bearer), are two of the most famous figural types of the sculptor Polyclitus, forming a basic pattern of Ancient Greek sculpture that all present strictly idealized ...

'', and its many Roman marble copies. (It is not, however, to be confused with ''

Discobolus The ''Discobolus'' of Myron (" discus thrower", el, Δισκοβόλος, ''Diskobólos'') is an Ancient Greek sculpture completed at the start of the Classical period at around 460–450 BC. The sculpture depicts a youthful male athlete thr ...

'' of

Myron Myron of Eleutherae ( grc, Μύρων, ''Myrōn'' ), working c. 480–440 BC, was an Athenian sculptor from the mid-5th century BC. He was born in Eleutherae on the borders of Boeotia and Attica. According to Pliny's '' Natural History'', Agela ...

, which shows a discus being thrown, not carried.) Like the ''Doryphoros'' and ''Diadumenos'', it was created as an example of Polyclitus's "canon" of the ideal human form in sculpture. It features a young, muscular, solidly-built athlete in a moment of thought before throwing a discus. Most marble copies feature the addition of a marble tree stump – marble is weaker but heavier than bronze- as the stump is needed for support. These copies are also often missing their arms, which are often restored. Diskophoros Via del Mare Musei Capitolini MC1865

Diskophoros Via del Mare Musei Capitolini MC1865

A variant is at the

Louvre Museum The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

References

*Borbein, Adolf. "Polykleitos", in O. Palagia and J.J. Pollitt, eds, ''Personal Styles in Greek Sculpture'' (Yale Classical Studies XXX) (Cambridge University Press) 1998:66–90. Summarizing traditional attributions. * Herbert Beck, Peter C. Bol, Maraike Bückling (Hrsg.): ''Polyklet. Der Bildhauer der griechischen Klassik. Ausstellung im Liebieghaus-Museum Alter Plastik Frankfurt am Main''. Von Zabern, Mainz 1990 * Detlev Kreikenbom: ''Bildwerke nach Polyklet. Kopienkritische Untersuchungen zu den männlichen statuarischen Typen nach polykletischen Vorbildern. "Diskophoros", Hermes, Doryphoros, Herakles, Diadumenos''. Mann, Berlin 1990, {{Polyclitean canon Ancient Greek sculptures Sculptures by Polyclitus Archaeology of Greece Roman copies of 5th-century BC Greek sculptures Ancient Greek athletic art Sculptures of men

See also

References