DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0543
CHAPTER XXVIII.
LYSIPPOS AND THE ARGIVE-SIKYON SCHOOL DURING THE FOURTH
CENTURY B.C.
Artists in Argos. — Subjects treated.—Art in Sikyon. — Lysippos. — Reports concerning him. — Mul-
titude of his Works. — His Zeus. — Poseidon. — Cairos. — Representations of Lesser Gods.—
Heracles. — Portraiture. — Portraits and Statues of Alexander. — Attempts to trace Lysippos'
Originals in Later Works. — Other Portraits.-—Athletes. — Apoxyomenos. — Proportions of this
Statue. — Lysippos' Success in representing Animal Life. — Characteristics of his Art. — Lysippos'
Brother, Lysistratos.
Turning from Attica, and its wide-spread artistic activity of the fourth
century, to the Peloponnesos, we shall find there, also, masters of name, but
having, as in the previous century, a narrower range in their art than their
Attic contemporaries. In Argos, which, with its Polycleitos, had been the bea-
con light in the fifth century B.C., there must still have existed an independ-
ent school during the early half of the next century. Polycleitos' pupils and
their contemporaries were now working there. These were Polycleitos the
younger, his brother Daidalos, Antiphanes of Argos, Cleon of Sikyon, and
others of minor fame. Some of these men, already mentioned in connection
with the great votive offerings for Aigospotamoi, were also employed in the
execution of an extensive thank-offering made by the Arcadians, led on by the
Tegeans, for a victory won over the Lakedaimonians, 369 B.C.999 Antiphanes'
scholar Cleon from Sikyon, according to Pausanias, executed for Olympia, in
388 B.C., the first statue of Zeus from fines taken from the delinquent athletes ;
and the pedestal of this very statue has been discovered at Olympia with
Cleon's name.1000 Judging from the subjects mentioned, Argive sculpture, at
this time, does not appear to have developed ideals of the gods, but occupied
itself with statues of athletes and heroes. Between Argos and Sikyon, judging
from the hints given us as to the nativity of the different masters, there seems
to have been a lively artistic interchange ; but, by the time of Alexander the
Great, Sikyon appears to have pressed time-honored Argos permanently into
the background. I001
The glory of Sikyon art now centres about the great Lysippos, who was
for the Peloponnesos what his contemporaries Scopas and Praxiteles were for
Attica. A native of Sikyon, he commenced life as a plain worker in metal
508
LYSIPPOS AND THE ARGIVE-SIKYON SCHOOL DURING THE FOURTH
CENTURY B.C.
Artists in Argos. — Subjects treated.—Art in Sikyon. — Lysippos. — Reports concerning him. — Mul-
titude of his Works. — His Zeus. — Poseidon. — Cairos. — Representations of Lesser Gods.—
Heracles. — Portraiture. — Portraits and Statues of Alexander. — Attempts to trace Lysippos'
Originals in Later Works. — Other Portraits.-—Athletes. — Apoxyomenos. — Proportions of this
Statue. — Lysippos' Success in representing Animal Life. — Characteristics of his Art. — Lysippos'
Brother, Lysistratos.
Turning from Attica, and its wide-spread artistic activity of the fourth
century, to the Peloponnesos, we shall find there, also, masters of name, but
having, as in the previous century, a narrower range in their art than their
Attic contemporaries. In Argos, which, with its Polycleitos, had been the bea-
con light in the fifth century B.C., there must still have existed an independ-
ent school during the early half of the next century. Polycleitos' pupils and
their contemporaries were now working there. These were Polycleitos the
younger, his brother Daidalos, Antiphanes of Argos, Cleon of Sikyon, and
others of minor fame. Some of these men, already mentioned in connection
with the great votive offerings for Aigospotamoi, were also employed in the
execution of an extensive thank-offering made by the Arcadians, led on by the
Tegeans, for a victory won over the Lakedaimonians, 369 B.C.999 Antiphanes'
scholar Cleon from Sikyon, according to Pausanias, executed for Olympia, in
388 B.C., the first statue of Zeus from fines taken from the delinquent athletes ;
and the pedestal of this very statue has been discovered at Olympia with
Cleon's name.1000 Judging from the subjects mentioned, Argive sculpture, at
this time, does not appear to have developed ideals of the gods, but occupied
itself with statues of athletes and heroes. Between Argos and Sikyon, judging
from the hints given us as to the nativity of the different masters, there seems
to have been a lively artistic interchange ; but, by the time of Alexander the
Great, Sikyon appears to have pressed time-honored Argos permanently into
the background. I001
The glory of Sikyon art now centres about the great Lysippos, who was
for the Peloponnesos what his contemporaries Scopas and Praxiteles were for
Attica. A native of Sikyon, he commenced life as a plain worker in metal
508