APOLLON SAUROCTONOS AFTER A BRONZE STATUE OF PRAXITELES

Dimensions
160 x 90 x 92 cm
Date
early 20th century
Period
Material
Inventory
Ag.165
ID
Hyp-6350
References
Hekler, Gipszgyűjtemény, no. 281

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.