Myron’s Discobolus is an ancient Greek sculpture that adheres to the Early Classical style, depicting a young man in the nude, eternally preserved in time as he readies himself to throw a discus. Discus-throwing was a very significant sport in ancient Greece, as one of the events in the pentathlon in the Olympics. The original statue of this discus thrower was made by Myron using lost-wax bronze casting during the fifth century B.C. Since then, the original has been lost, but this sculpture was so well-known that several copies were made by the Romans. A distinct feature that helps one to differentiate this as a Roman copy of Myron’s Discobolus is the stone post behind the left leg.
This feature was absent in the bronze
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Overall, it really captures the moment when the discus thrower is about to swing his arm. There is directional force going from the arm, pointing in the direction that the feet are facing, which leads the viewer’s eyes as he/she looks at the sculpture. This creates a circular movement as the discus thrower is about to pivot by turning his torso; this is shown by the way his right foot is firmly planted on the ground while his left toes seem to be brushing the ground.
The shape of this sculpture also conveys a sense of balance by forming two arcs that intersect. One arc is formed by both arms, and this is almost perpendicular to the other arc, which is formed by his hips, torso, and head.
Another thing to take notice of is that the figure is not only idealized, but he is shown in the nude. This was common in the depictions of male people in Greek art, as a celebration of the greatness and beauty that the human body can achieve. Also, the fact that the subject matter of this sculpture is a person throwing a discus truly embodies the significance of fitness, sports and athletics in the ancient Greek culture, which again brings the ideal human body into