“Great Alcides stooping with his toil
Rests on his club.”
--_Pope._
This colossal statue, called the Farnese Hercules, was found in 1540 in
the ruins of the baths of Caracalla, Rome, and is now one of the chief
attractions of the Naples Museum, where it was placed by the Farnese
family in 1790. There has been much dispute as to its origin, but the
conclusion to which criticism is now pointing is that it was executed
by Glycon in the first century.
The anatomy of the figure, though exaggerated to be in keeping with the
character of the hero, is well worth study.
[Illustration]
Venus de Medici.
A large proportion of the statues of Praxiteles represented the
idealized beauty of women, and with common consent it is admitted
that he created the type of Venus in his celebrated statue called the
Venus of Cnidus. There is a story that he made two statues of her, one
clothed and the other unclothed. The choice between the two was offered
to the people of Cos, who, more modest than artistic, selected the
draped statue. The Cnidians most joyfully bought the nude Venus and
it was said to have made the seaport town so attractive that people
flocked thither from all parts to view the beautiful marble goddess.
But this statue has perished. It was seen in its beauty probably
about 150, A. D. All that remain are but feeble echoes of its grace.
Pausanius tells us that it was a portrait of Phryne, who was much
beloved by Praxiteles and often served him as a model.
“Phryne, thy human lips shall pale,
Thy rounded limbs decay;
Not love nor prayer can aught avail
To bid thy beauty stay.
But there thy smile for centuries
On marble lips shall live;
For art can grant what love denies
And fix the fugitive.
And there upon the silent face
Shall unborn ages see
Perennial youth, perennial grace
And sealed serenity.”
--_W. W. Story._