The Discobolus

The Discobolus or discus-thrower is a marvellous classical piece of sculpture that over time has come to mean different things to different people. Originally cast in bronze by the fifth-century BC sculptor Myron, the composition portraying an athlete preparing to throw his discus captures a moment of action perfectly: the tensed body looks as if it is merely pausing and about to burst into life at any moment. An enduring pattern of energy, Myron''s statue of harmonious proportions is a fantastic representation of the athletic ideal and responds to Greek notions of balance, rhythm and harmony. Sadly, the original statue has long been lost; however, it was so admired by the Romans that numerous marble copies were made. This book tells the story of Myron''s Discobolus both as an archaeological artefact and bearer of meaning. Focusing on the Townley Discobolus, the Roman marble copy excavat

Ian Jenkins is Senior Curator of the Ancient Greek collections at the British Museum and has published widely on the archaeology and art history of Ancient Greece and Rome. His recent books (also published by The British Museum Press) include Greek Architecture and its Sculpture (2006), The Parthenon Sculptures in the British Museum (2007), The Lion of Knidos (2008) and The Greek Body with Victoria Turner (2009).