This journal entry will discuss the history of the sculpture of the Dying Gaul. This sculpture is located in the Musei Capitolini in Rome.
The sculpture of the Dying Gaul that we saw was actually a Roman copy of the original Hellenistic sculpture. The copy we witnessed was made of marble, but the original was made of bronze. The original sculpture was created in the 3rd century B.C. Attalos I of Pergamon commissioned the statue after his military victory over the Galatians of Asia Minor. It believed by many that Epigonus was the sculptor of the Dying Gaul, though there is no proof of this.
The sculpture depicts a wounded Galatian soldier who is sure to die soon. The soldier is completely naked except for a chain around his neck. This is because Celts always entered battle completely naked except for their weapons. The soldier is on the ground, supporting his upper body with his right arm. There is a bleeding wound on his abdomen, and his sword lies useless underneath him. The face of the soldier shows that he knows he is dying. It is a great depiction of the brutality of war, and the sadness of death. Attalos I clearly got his money’s worth for this sculpture. The Dying Gaul would make any soldier glad to not be part of the Galatian army.
Clint, Well done. Thanks for including the picture.
ReplyDeleteI loved this statue. I almost did this one for my blog. I like that you told the whole story, because I didn't hear all of it. The picture just made you blog better!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoying reading this blog, mostly because by the time we got to that statue, I was not paying attention to what the tour guide was saying anymore. So I was really interested in the story behind this statue. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteClint, this was a great history lesson. This statue was so posted in the center of this room, just asking you to report on it. I appreciate your love for the arts. Way to use your "resources."
ReplyDeleteGood job with all the background information. Knowing where it came from and when adds character to the piece. I enjoy your thorough knowledge of the piece and its protrayl.
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