Marble statue of a Discobolus (discus-thrower) – (Discobolus Lancelloti)

The work is a Roman copy of the famous bronze discobolus statue rendered by the Athenian sculptor Myron in the mid-5th c. BC, referred to in a catalogue by Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) and in one of the accounts of Lucian of Samosata.

The original sculpture, which is lost since antiquity, was mounted at the Athenian Acropolis and was made using the “lost-wax” technique.

It depicts a young discus-thrower as he puts all his efforts into the performance of the throw. His body leans intensely forwards; the torso and head turn to the right, while simultaneously the knees are bent. The right arm that carries the discus is stretched backwards, and the left one is placed over his knee providing counterbalance. The posture of his body captures the rhythm and the movement of the throw; the realistic rendering of the athlete’s musculature reveals the intensity of the moment, whereas his face that remains tranquil lays emphasis on the athlete’s concentration.

The Discobolus by Myron is the result of thorough study of the human body.