17 Inches High x 7 Inches Wide x 10 Inches Deep The Greek sculptor Myron was famous for his athletes and animals. One such sculpture of Myron's that is considered one of the best of the Classical period is the life-size Discobolus, or Discus Thrower. The original bronze is lost, but many Roman copies exist, including the best copy which is in the Museo Nazionale Romano. The figure is renowned for its complexity of motion and form. Despite the thrower's apparent action, he is depicted at rest, shown in between the backswing and the forward swing. This full-size and life-size head is from the copy in the British Museum collection, known as the Townley Discobolus. When the Townley Discobolus was discovered without a head in Tivoli near Rome in 1791, a nearby head was thought to belong to it. The restorer attached the head, now known to be incorrect, and also turned it so it faced the ground. Nevertheless, the restoration was well-received and also replicated. Artist: Unknown Museum: British Museum, London Time Period: Ancient Greek/Ancient Roman Sources: Collins, Neil. "Myron." Art Encyclopedia. Visual-arts-cork.com, 2019, http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/sculpture/myron.htm. "Gli imperdibili." Museo Nazionale Romano, slide 12, http://www.museonazionaleromano.beniculturali.it/it/176/gli-imperdibili. Harris, Beth, and Steven Zucker. "Myron, Discobolus (Discus Thrower), Roman copy of an ancient Greek bronze (video)." Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/classical/v/myron-discobolus-discus-thrower-roman-copy-of-an-ancient-greek-bronze-from-c-450-b-c-e. Sooke, Alastair. "The Discobolus: Greeks, Nazis and the body beautiful." BBC, 24 March 2015, http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150324-hitlers-idea-of-the-perfect-body. "The Townley Discobolus." Museum number 1805,0703.43. The British Museum, https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=8760&partId=1.
