Treasure Hunt all over the World

After appreciating "The Statue of Laocoon and His Sons", and then admiring several other famous sculptures, Ye Tian and the others came to another treasure of the town hall in the octagonal courtyard, "The Sun God on the Watchtower". Apollo.

This is a marble sculpture about 224 cm high, but it is a copy of the ancient Roman period in the second century AD. It was named after it was found on a watchtower in Rome.

Its original work is made of bronze and is about 224 cm high. It is a representative work of the famous ancient Greek sculptor Leo Calles in the fourth century BC. He was also the court artist of Alexander of Macedonia.

In the long course of history, Leo Calles' original work has been lost, and only this ancient Roman copy remains.

Although the "Apollo the Sun God on the Watchtower" displayed in the octagonal courtyard is not an original work, its artistic value is extraordinary, otherwise it would not become one of the treasures of the Vatican Museum.

Apollo is the sun god in Greek mythology and the most versatile god of light. In ancient Greece and Rome, the dignified and handsome Apollo was regarded as a symbol of male beauty.

On this famous sculpture, the sculptor portrayed Apollo with idealized beauty, vividly shaping his healthy posture when the arrow is off the string.

His head is tilted slightly to the left and raised high, his eyes are looking directly at the arm holding the bow in front of him, showing the joy of victory in his eyes.

Relying on skilled carving skills and using the carving knife in his hand, the sculptor showed Apollo's graceful posture, well-proportioned limbs, and elegant shape, highlighting Apollo's clear demeanor and heroic spirit.

From the viewer's point of view, the entire sculpture has a stable composition and well-proportioned proportions. Although the hands and forearms have been destroyed, it does not affect the overall harmonious beauty of the work.

In the history of Western art, this Apollo sculpture has a very important position. In terms of aesthetic significance, it is even no less than "Venus with Broken Arm".

Just as "Venus Broken Arm" represents the most beautiful female human body, this "Apollo the Sun God on the Watchtower" is recognized as a model of human body beauty and an ideal shape for young men.

After standing in front of this sculpture and admiring it quietly for a while, Ye Tiantian began to explain, introducing the story behind this famous sculpture.

"This "Apollo the Sun God on the Watchtower" is a replica, carved in the second century A.D., it was specifically made by the master sculptor in ancient Rome, and there is no way to test it now.

Its original work is a representative work of the famous ancient Greek sculptor Leo Calles in the fourth century BC. It is a bronze figure sculpture about 224 centimeters high, but unfortunately it has been lost.

In fact, there is a more famous statue of the sun god Apollo in this shape, which is the Greek Colossus of Rhodes, the sun god known as one of the seven wonders of the world.

The seven wonders of the ancient world mentioned here refer to the seven architectural wonders located in the prosperous ancient civilization, the Nile River Basin, the Mesopotamia River Basin, and the Aegean Sea Islands.

The buildings or statues of the Seven Wonders, which amaze you by their colossal size, beauty or unique way of construction, reflect the splendid culture created by human progress.

It was the traveler Antipater in the third century BC who first put forward the theory of the Seven Wonders, and another theory was put forward by the Byzantine scientist Philo in the second century BC.

They are the Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum of Mausolus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

The Colossus of the Rhode Island Sun God is the most mysterious of the Seven Wonders. It had only fifty-six years of life before it fell down due to an earthquake. So far, archaeologists have not yet determined its location and appearance.

As the name suggests, this colossus of the sun god is located in the port of Rhodes Island in ancient Greece,

Completed in 282 BC, it is 33 meters high, about the same height as the Statue of Liberty in New York.

From this point of view, the casting time of the Colossus of Rhode Island was later than the works of the famous ancient Greek sculptor Leo Calles, and it was probably cast based on his works.

More than 2,300 years ago, the army of the Kingdom of Macedonia attacked Rhodes Island in an attempt to occupy the island. The residents of the island put up tenacious resistance, and after more than a year, they finally drove away the invaders.

In order to celebrate the victory, the residents of Rhode Island melted all the captured weapons and cast them into a huge statue of the sun god, because according to legend, Apollo is the patron saint of Rhode Island.

According to legend, this colossal statue of the sun god wears a crown of sun rays on its head, holds a whip in its left hand, and holds a torch in its right hand. It stands on a stone seat in the port with two feet, and ships can enter and exit through its crotch.

In ancient Greece, it was not uncommon to cast statues about 10 meters high, but a colossus as high as 33 meters was unprecedented. That's why the Colossus of Rhodes was included in the Seven Wonders.

Sadly, about fifty years later, in 226 BC, a major earthquake toppled the great colossus, and it then lay on its original site in Rhodes for nearly a millennium.

In 654 A.D., the Arabs invaded Rhode Island, Greece, smashed the Colossus of the Sun God, and shipped all of them to Syria. It is said that it took 900 camels to transport all the broken copper pieces.

Today, we have no chance to see the Colossus of Rhode Island, nor the original works of the famous ancient Greek sculptor Leo Calles. Fortunately, we can still see the "Apollo" in front of us.

Speaking of this, Ye Tian couldn't help but a trace of regret flashed in his eyes, and the same was true for everyone else at the scene, everyone felt a little regretful.

Next, Ye Tian continued to introduce this exquisite sculpture, and the explanation was still so professional and wonderful.

A few minutes later, the explanation was just finished. The group of them stood here and admired it quietly for a while, before turning around and walking to the next famous sculpture next to it.

It didn't take long for Ye Tian and the others to visit the sculptures displayed in the octagonal courtyard.

Then, led by Antonio and Leonardo, they left the octagonal courtyard and entered a new exhibition hall.

As soon as he entered the exhibition hall, Antonio began to introduce the situation here.

"Steven, Betty, and everyone else, this is the famous Muse Hall, which is relatively large in size and has several small pavilions, each of which is very exciting and worthy of careful appreciation.

In the Muses Hall, there are many sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome on display, as well as many exquisite classical murals, such as Tommaso's "Apollo and Muses"

However, Ye Tian turned a deaf ear to Antonio's introduction and did not give any response.

The first time he entered this exhibition hall, he was completely attracted by a sculpture placed in the center of the exhibition hall and surrounded by ropes. He stared at the sculpture intently, and there was nothing else in his eyes!

It was a very severely mutilated human sculpture. The head, arms, and legs below the knees were all missing. I don't know where they were thrown, and the whole body was mottled!

At first glance, the sculpture looks like it was picked up from a garbage dump. It has no value and no aesthetic feeling at all. It is small in size, let alone majestic!

But in Ye Tian's eyes, this incomplete human body sculpture radiates an incomparably bright light, which dazzles him and fascinates him!

In the heyday of the Renaissance more than 500 years ago, the master artist Michelangelo was like him. This incomplete sculpture also made the young Michelangelo fall in love with it!

Michelangelo's lifelong figure sculptures and paintings were all deeply influenced by this incomplete sculpture. Most of them have big arms, round waists, bulging muscles, abnormally developed limbs, and full of vitality.

This is the third treasure of the Vatican Museum's sculpture category, "The Remnant Body" by an unknown sculptor in ancient Greece, and its artistic value is no less than the two treasures seen before!

[UU Reading 00kxs] The other two sculptures that are treasures of the town hall are naturally "Statue of Laocoon and His Sons" and "Apollo, the Sun God on the Watchtower".