Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Head of the Doryphorus
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."
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Villa Borghese (?); Stefano Bardini, Florence, before 1898 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Bardini Sale, American Art Association, New York, April 1918; William Boyce Thompson, Yonkers, 1918, by purchase; Elizabeth Seton College, Yonkers, [date of acquisition unknown] by bequest; Mr. and Mrs. James E. LePere, New York, [date of acquisition unknown] by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1968, by gift.
Exhibitions
| 1978 | In Search of Ancient Treasure: 40 Years of Collecting. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 4/4/1968 | Treatment | technical study; loss compensation; other |
| 7/6/1970 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 1/23/1978 | Treatment | cleaned; reconstructed; loss compensation |
| 1/23/1978 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 1/1/1992 | Technical Report | x-ray diffraction; other |
| 12/17/1998 | Treatment | cleaned; reconstructed |
| 9/27/1999 | Treatment | stabilized; reconstructed |
| 2/1/2007 | Treatment | other |
Geographies
Roman Empire (Place of Origin)
Measurements
10 13/16 x 9 1/16 x 9 7/16 in. (27.5 x 23 x 24 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James E. LePere, 1968
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
23.225