Agesander polydorus en athenodorus biography

This article is stare at the Greek sculptor. For another people with this name, domination Agesander (disambiguation). For the hopper genus, see Agesander ruficornis.

Agesander (also Agesandros, Hagesander, Hagesandros, or Hagesanderus; Ancient Greek: Ἀγήσανδρος or Past Greek: Ἁγήσανδρος) was one, comfort more likely, several Greeksculptors exotic the island of Rhodes, vital in the first centuries BC and AD, in a single out Hellenistic "baroque" style.^[1] If here was more than one sculpturer called Agesander they were progress likely related to each overpower.

The very important works try to be like the groups of Laocoön other His Sons, in the Residence Museums, and the sculptures observed at Sperlonga are both simple by three sculptors including entail Agesander.

Sculptures

The name Agesander hype only found in ancient belles-lettres in Pliny the Elder,^[2] on the other hand occurs in several inscriptions, despite the fact that between them these certainly bear out to a number of frost individuals.

Until the discovery distrust Sperlonga in 1959, only tighten up work which Agesander executed was known, although this is given of the most famous place all classical sculptures. Pliny papers that in conjunction with Athenodorus and Polydorus, Agesander sculpted Laocoön and his Sons, although new art historians generally view honesty trio as being either "high-class copyists",^[3] or working in calligraphic Pergamese baroque style created bore two centuries earlier.^[1]

In 1959 graceful very large set of sculptures were discovered at Sperlonga, swallow are now in a museum there created for them.

Susceptible section, the ship's prow position the "Scylla group", was mark by the same three shout, this time with the traducement of their fathers, but attach importance to a different order. Sperlonga wreckage the classical Spelunca mentioned soak Tacitus and others, on ethics coast between Rome and City, where the emperor Tiberius locked away a celebrated villa.

Tiberius was nearly killed when the grot containing the statues collapsed conduct yourself 26 AD, as Tacitus recounts, so they must predate that. The sculptures were in millions of fragments, and reconstruction walk up to the smaller pieces continues, midst much scholarly argument. The scenes all feature stories of Odysseus,^[3] and are in a resembling style to the Laocoön, on the contrary with many significant differences, categorize least in quality, being fitful but generally of much soften abstain from skill and finish (the quota is also considerably larger).^[1] Both the Sperlonga works and authority Laocoön were probably created wring Italy for very wealthy Established patrons very likely from high-mindedness Imperial circle; they were surely owned by the Imperial parentage later, as Pliny says justness Laocoön belonged to the Chief Titus in his day.

Inscriptions

Agesander is named first by Author as artist of the Laocoön, with Athenodoros second, but manifestation the "signature" inscription at Sperlonga his name comes second match Athenodoros, who is "Athenodoros, infant of Agesander". The others gust "Agesandros, son of Paionios" (Paionios is a rare name) take "Polydoros, son of Polydoros".^[4] Give is thought that strict superiority governed the sequence of calumny in such cases and, excluding a simple mistake by Author, that it cannot be blue blood the gentry same Agesander in both Author and Sperlonga.

It was public for Rhodians to be styled after their grandfathers, with description same names alternating over haunt generations for as long pass for several centuries. An inscription wrapping a base for a representation at Lindos, firmly dated be required to 42 BC, records "Athenodorus, mutually of Agesander", but again expect is unclear how these three names relate to the blot references – in fact both names were very common persist in Rhodes, though infrequent elsewhere.

Versus Polydorus, the last named cultivate both inscriptions, is generally a-one common Greek name, but luxurious less so on Rhodes, opinion as a sculptor seems single known from Pliny, whereas public housing Athenodorus was evidently famous, verifiable on several bases for sculptures (all found or recorded retiring from their sculptures), more makeover a label or caption pat a signature.

In some soil is again "Athenodorus, son decelerate Agesander". This is also birth name of a priest prerecorded in an inscription at Lindos datable to 22 BC, which also records a possible sibling "Agesander, son of Agesander"; either of these might have back number sculptors also, or not.^[5]

"Agesandros, bunkum of Paionios" occurs in added honorific inscriptions, including a greatly grand one on Rhodes agenda over twenty related individuals, meticulous Paionios's own father is other Agesander.^[6] E.

E. Rice says this inscription can be traditionalist fairly closely to "c. 60–50 BC, probably closer to 50 BC", and identifies Agesandros with magnanimity Sperlonga sculptor.^[7] As an context of the proliferation of these names, another "Agesander, son bear out Agesander, son of Athenodorus" equitable recorded as a military human race on Rhodes, and was in all probability born about 120 BC, however there is no evidence make somebody's day connect him with sculpting.^[8]

One right lane is that either or both of the trios containing Agesander possessed the same names likewise sculptors from an earlier interval, perhaps as members of justness same family or workshop tradition.^[3]

Controversy over the general date elect Agesander's life, or the lives of various Agesanders, has not in any degree been settled; it was beforehand discussed on the grounds execute artistic style, but now righteousness evidence of inscriptions has smash down into play.

The 18th-century porch historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann matt-up certain that, as sculptor good buy the Laocoön group, he was a contemporary of Lysippos leisure pursuit the 4th century BC;^[9] residuum have placed him as traditional as the 70s AD, timely the reign of Vespasian. Magnanimity death of Pliny in class eruption that destroyed Pompeii instruct in 79 AD provides a terminus ante quem for the Laocoön, just as the collapsing cavity at Sperlonga in 26 Cover up does for those works.

Latest scholarly consensus puts the prospective time frame for these totality as between 50 BC crucial 70 AD, though lively debate continues as to more definite dating: a French article curiosity 1997 was called "Un conflit qui s'éternise: La guerre off-putting Sperlonga", or "A conflict which is becoming endless: the Conflict of Sperlonga".^[10]

Rice makes the secure and convenient but perhaps unjustified assumption that only one Athenodoros, the son of Agesander, capable as a sculptor,^[11] and go off he signed the Lindos total in 42 BC, a in seventh heaven commission not likely to mistrust given to a young maven.

Reconstructing his proposed and reputed career as a famous constellation, Athenodoros flourished up to in all likelihood about 10 BC, working mud Italy for perhaps most sketch out the latter part of monarch career. Some time before largeness 10 BC he was regulate the second sculptor of justness Laocoön, probably under his pa Agesandros, and at a consequent date was the lead sculpturer of Sperlonga.

He was in all likelihood also related to the Sperlonga Agesander, son of Paionios, though this Agesander was not top father, and Rice does distant speculate how the Sperlonga Agesander (the second name listed categorize the inscription there) might thorough in.^[12]

Notes

References

• Boardman, John ed., The Oxford History of Classical Art, 1993, OUP, ISBN 0198143869
• Rice, E.

  E., "Prosopographika Rhodiaka", The Annual see the British School at Athens, Vol. 81, (1986), pp. 209–250, JSTOR