Myron 82512 204565869 2008-04-09T23:05:09Z Neelix 1169106 Combined other uses in disambiguation link {{otheruses}} [[Image:Greek statue discus thrower 2 century aC.jpg|thumb|250px|Roman bronze reduction of Myron's ''Discobolos'', 2nd century CE ([[Glyptothek]], Munich)]] '''Myron of Eleutherae''' ([[Greek language|Greek]] '''Μύρων''') working c. 480-440 BC, was an Athenian [[sculpture|sculptor]] from the mid-fifth century BC.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]]' references (e.g. 6.8.4, etc.) seem to suggest that he habitually signed his works "Myron the Athenian": Eleutherae became an Athenian ''[[demos]]'' in 460 BCE.</ref> He was born in [[Eleutherae]] on the borders of [[Boeotia]] and [[Attica, Greece|Attica]]. According to [[Pliny's Natural History]], [[Ageladas]] of Argos was his teacher.<ref>Pliny, ''Natural Hisory'' 34.57, suggests that Myron was also in some sense self-taught: "''Hageladae et ipsum discipulum.''" The account of Myron directly follows Pliny's account of [[Polykleitos|Polyclitus of Sicyon]], also a pupil of Ageladas.</ref> The traveller [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] noted sculptures by Myron that remained ''in situ'' in the second century CE. Chionis, a seventh century Olympic victor from Sparta was commemorated in an idealized bronze by Myron<ref>Pausanias iii.14.3.</ref> He worked almost exclusively in [[bronze]]:<ref>Pausanias thought a ''[[xoanon]]'' was by Myron (Pausanias 2.30.2)</ref> and though he made some statues of gods and heroes, his fame rested principally upon his representations of [[Sportsperson|athlete]]s, in which he made a revolution, according to commentators in Antiquity, by introducing greater boldness of pose and a more perfect rhythm, subordinating the parts to the whole. Pliny's remark that Myron's works were ''numerosior'' than those of [[Polycleitus]] and "more diligent"<ref>''"numerosior in arte quam Polyclitus et in symmetria diligentior"''</ref> seem to suggest that they were considered more harmonious in proportions (''numeri'') and at the same time more convincing in their realism: ''diligentia'' connoted "attentive care to fine points", a quality that, in moderation, was characteristic of the best works of art, according to critics in Antiquity.<ref>Ellen E. Perry, "Notes on Diligentia as a term of Roman art criticism" ''Classical Philology'' '''95'''.4 (October 2000), pp. 445-458. </ref> His most famous works according to [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]]'s ''Natural History'' (34.57-59) were a heifer, a dog (''canem'', [[Cerberus]]?), a Perseus, a satyr— Marsyas— admiring the flute and Minerva (Athena), a Hercules, which was taken to the shrine dedicated by Pompey the Great at the [[Circus Maximus]], ''[[Discobolus]]'' (the [[discus throw]]er), and an Apollo for [[Ephesus]], "which Antony the triumvir took from the Ephesians, but the deified Augustus restored it again after being warned in a dream".<ref>"''fecit et canem et discobolon et Perseum et pristas et Satyrum admirantem tibias et Minervam, Delphicos pentathlos, pancratiasta, Herculem, qui est apud circum maximum in aede Pompei Magni. fecisse et cicadae monumentum ac locustae carminibus suis Erinna significat. fecit et Apollinem, quem ab triumviro Antonio sublatum restituit Ephesiis divus Augustus admonitus in quiete"''</ref> The Early Imperial Roman writers consistently rated Myron among the greatest of Greek sculptors, a sign that his contemporaneous reputation had remained high. [[Image:Minotauros Myron NAMA 1664 n1.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Minotaur, from a fountain in Athens, part of Myron's lost group of Theseus and the Minotaur ([[National Archaeological Museum of Athens]])]] The heifer seems to have earned its fame mainly by serving as a peg on which to hang [[epigram]]s,<ref>There are thirty-six epigrams on Myron's heifer in the [[Greek Anthology]], most of them remarking on its realism.</ref> which tell us nothing about the pose of the animal. An epigram<ref>In the [[Greek Anthology]].</ref> on Ladas, the fleetest runner of his time, notes that he was commemorated in a sculpture by Myron; of Myron's ''Ladas'' there is no known copy. A description by [[Lucian]]<ref>Lucian of Samosata, ''Philopseudes'' 18.</ref> conclusively identifies as Myron's the ''[[Discobolus]]'' or "Discus-Thrower", of which several copies exist, of which the best is in the [[Palazzo Massimi alle Terme]], Rome. [[Strabo]] also registers stray comments on Myron, especially a large group at [[Samos Island|Samos]]; several surviving heads were identified as copies of Myron's ''Samian Athena'' by C.K. Jenkins in 1926.<ref> C.K. Jenkins, "The Reinstatement of Myron" ''The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs'' '''49''' No. 283 (October 1926), pp. 182-192.</ref> A marble figure in the [[Lateran Museum]], which is now restored as a dancing [[satyr]], is almost certainly a copy of a work of Myron, a [[Marsyas]] desirous of picking up the [[aulos]] which [[Athena]] had thrown away.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 1.24.1; H. Anne Weis, "The 'Marsyas' of Myron: Old Problems and New Evidence" ''American Journal of Archaeology'' '''83'''.2 (April 1979), pp. 214-219, distinguishes two versions.</ref> The full group is copied on coins of Athens, on a vase and in a relief which represent Marsyas as oscillating between curiosity and the fear of the displeasure of Athena. The ancient critics say of Myron that, while he succeeded admirably in giving life and motion to his figures, he did not succeed in rendering the emotions of the mind. This agrees with the extant evidence, in a certain degree, though not perfectly. The bodies of his men are of far greater excellence than the heads. The face of the Marsyas is almost a mask; but from the attitude we gain a vivid impression of the passions which sway him. The face of the discus-thrower is calm and unruffled; but all the muscles of his body are concentrated in an effort. A considerable number of other extant works were ascribed to the school or the influence of Myron by [[Adolf Furtwängler]].<ref>A. Furtwängler, ''Masterpieces of Greek Sculpture'', (London) 1907, 168&mdash;2 19</ref> These attributions have not stood up to the test of time. A [[papyrus]] from [[Oxyrhyncus]] gives dates of [[Ancient Olympic Games|victors at Olympia]] of whom Myron made statues of the athlete [[Timanthes]], victorious at Olympia in [[456 BC]], and of Lycinus, victorious in 448 and 444. This helps us to fix his date. He was a contemporary, but a somewhat older contemporary, of [[Pheidias]] and [[Polykleitos]].<ref>Bernard Pyne Grenfell and Arthur Surridge Hunt, ''The Oxyrhynchus Papyri'' 1899, p 86f.</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:5th century BC Greek sculptors]] [[Category:Ancient Athenians]] [[br:Myron]] [[bg:Мирон]] [[ca:Miró (escultor)]] [[cs:Myrón]] [[de:Myron]] [[et:Myron]] [[es:Mirón]] [[fr:Myron]] [[gl:Mirón (escultor)]] [[hr:Miron]] [[is:Mýron]] [[it:Mirone]] [[he:מירון (פסל)]] [[hu:Mürón]] [[nl:Myron van Eleutherae]] [[ja:ミュロン]] [[pl:Myron]] [[pt:Míron]] [[ru:Мирон из Елевфер]] [[sr:Мирон]] [[fi:Myron]] [[sv:Myron]]