Discobolus

The Discobolus by Myron ("discus thrower", Greek: Δισκοβόλος, Diskobólos) is an ancient Greek sculpture completed at the start of the Classical period in around 460–450 BC that depicts an ancient Greek athlete throwing a discus. Its Greek original in bronze lost, the work is known through numerous Roman copies, both full-scale ones in marble, which is cheaper than bronze,^[1] such as the Palombara Discobolus, the first to be recovered, and smaller scaled versions in bronze.

A norm in Ancient Greek athletics, the Discobolus is presented nude. His pose appears unnatural to a human and is considered as per modern standards a rather inefficient way to throw the discus.^[2]

Myron's skill is evident in his ability to convey a sense of movement of the body at the moment of its maximum tension and splendor within a static medium, transforming a routine athletic activity into a representation of balance and harmony. Myron is often credited with being the first sculptor to master this style. However, the great effort of the athlete is not reflected in his facial expression, which displays only a tenuous concentration. The torso shows no muscular strain, even though the limbs are outflung. The other trademark of Myron embodied in this sculpture is how well the body is proportioned: the symmetria. The athlete's body demonstrates a sense of proportion, with meticulous attention to detail in every muscle and sinew, capturing the dynamics of a thrower's physical actions. The contrapposto stance, subtly shifting the athlete's weight from one leg to the other, imparts a semblance of motion and adds an element of realism to the artwork.The potential energy expressed in this sculpture's tightly wound pose, expressing the moment of stasis just before the release, is an example of the advancement of Classical sculpture from Archaic sculpture.

As Clark observed, "Myron has created the enduring pattern of athletic energy. He has taken a moment of action so transitory that students of athletics still debate if it is feasible, and he has given it the completeness of a cameo. To a modern eye, it may seem that Myron's desire for perfection has made him suppress too rigorously the sense of strain in the individual muscles".^[3]

The Discobolus was sculpted at a time when Greece was at the zenith of its artistic and athletic achievements. The ancient Olympic Games were not just sporting events but were deeply intertwined with Greek culture and religion. Myron's work embodies the Greek philosophy of the harmonious development of body and mind, an idea known as kalokagathia, where physical beauty and prowess were celebrated as integral components of a virtuous life.