| Date | early 20th century (plaster cast), late 1st - early 2nd century AD, after a statue from around 350 BC (original) |
|---|---|
| Object type | plaster cast |
| Medium, technique | plaster |
| Dimensions | 160 x 90 x 92 cm |
| Inventory number | Ag.165 |
| Collection | Classical Antiquites - Plaster casts |
| On view | Star Fortress (Komárom), Famous sculptures in the fourth century BC and their ancient reception, Gallery VII |
As if capturing a stolen moment, the statue shows Apollon leaning against a tree in a relaxed position, aiming at a lizard, which runs up the trunk, with the arrow (now lost) held in his right hand. Does he want to kill the animal or is he only playing? Both are possible. The statue shows that gods have no worries — why would they care about the wretchedness of people “whose life is but for a day”? The body of Apollon is femininely soft, he stands above the duality of man and woman, which also distances him from humans. But the lizard could also be a metaphor for epidemics, suggesting that the deity is protecting humanity from disease.
Hekler, Antal, Az antik gipszgyűjtemény I-II., Budapest, 1919-1920, 1923, no. no. 281.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.
