| Date | early 20th century (original), 1st century AD, after a statue from around 320 BC (original) |
|---|---|
| Object type | plaster cast |
| Medium, technique | plaster |
| Dimensions | 161 x 53 x 47 cm |
| Inventory number | Ag.189 |
| Collection | Classical Antiquites - Plaster casts |
| On view | Star Fortress (Komárom), Famous sculptures in the fourth century BC and their ancient reception, Gallery VII |
The statue depicts a victorious athlete removing the oily sand from his skin with a scraper (strigilis). It follows a statue of Lysippos, the portrait sculptor of Alexander the Great, which bore the title Apoxyomenos (‘the one who cleans himself’). Lysippos made a conscious break with the sculptural rules created by the masters of the Classical period, like Polykleitos: the body is leaner, and the head (here missing) smaller. There is more distance between the feet, and one leg steps to the side. The athlete extends his arm, a gesture that only becomes meaningful when the spectator walks around the statue.
Hekler, Antal, Az antik gipszgyűjtemény I-II., Budapest, 1919-1920, 1923, no. no. 291.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.
