Chapter 98 Greek Sculpture - "The Discus Thrower"

From about 499 BC to about 404 BC in Greece, art historians call it the "age of god-making".At that time, the Greeks had just won the victory in the Hippo-Persian War, and the whole country was in high spirits, full of the pride of the victors.The economy is developed, the society is prosperous, and the world is peaceful.At this time, Greek art advocated idealism and was keen to express the perfection of human beings.Therefore, heroes in Greek mythology—Zeus, Hera, Athena, and Apollo—continuously appeared in sculptures, and the style of this period was also known as the "sublime style".Myron was the most outstanding engraver of this period.However, what we are familiar with today is not the mythical heroes he created, but the famous "Discus Thrower".Myron is unique in expressing the human body in motion, and "The Discus Thrower" can be said to be a milestone in his artistic career.This is a statue of a victor, exuding vitality and dignified aristocratic temperament harmoniously blended together.The artist chose the moment when the figure was about to throw, and just rightly grasped the most critical prominent posture that can express the whole movement, fully embodying the continuity of the movement.All parts of the competitor's body are in motion and highly tense.But the face was shaped extraordinarily calm, showing a high degree of serenity and confidence.This stillness and movement form a strong contrast, but at the same time they are unified and harmonious, showing the genius of the master.