Roman - Head of the Doryphorus - Walters 23225 - Back

Polyclitus of Argos attempted to depict the High Classical ideal of human form in his famous "Doryphorus" (Spear-bearer) statue. In his treatise, entitled "Canon," he wrote of achieving this ideal through perfect balance and proportion among the parts of the body. The statue may have been intended to portray Achilles setting off for the Trojan War. This copy follows, but does not imitate exactly, the structure and symmetry of the head of the original "Doryphorus."