It is the only piece Michelangelo ever signed. This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion.
The theme is of Northern origin, popular by that time in France but not yet in Italy. Michelangelo's interpretation of the Pietà is unprecedented in Italian sculpture. It is an important work as it balances the Renaissance ideals of classical beauty with naturalism. This statue group was found in 1506 on the Esquiline Hill in Rome and immediately identified as the Laocoön described by Pliny the Elder as a masterpiece of the sculptors of Rhodes.
The story is that during the Trojan War, Laocoön, a priest of Apollo in the city of Troy, warned his fellow Trojans against taking in the wooden horse left by the Greeks outside the city gates. Athena and Poseidon, who were favouring the Greeks, sent two great sea-serpents which have wrapped their coils around Laocoön and his two sons and are killing them.From the Roman point of view, the death of these innocents was crucial to the decision of Aeneas, who heeded Laocoön's warning, to flee Troy, and this led to the eventual founding of Rome. There has been much debate over the date of the statue, which would seem to have been made around 40-30 B. The Belvedere Apollo This statue was part of the collection which Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere held in his palace in Rome.
The god, Apollo, moves forward majestically and seems to have just released an arrow from the bow which he originally carried in his left hand. The work has been dated to mid-way through the 2nd century A. And is considered to be a copy of an original bronze statue of 330-320 B. By Leochares, one of the artists who worked on the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
The statue has always been greatly admired, but owes its fame particularly to Johann Joachim Winckelmann who considered it the sublime expression of Greek art, "of all the works of antiquity that have escaped destruction, the statue of Apollo represents the highest ideal of art". We strive for excellent service. Though we normally reply to inquiries as soon as possible, please note that our office is limited on weekends and holidays. Create listings that get noticed!
With Auctiva's 1,800+ Templates. The item "Cook Islands 2009-2011 4x5$ Vatican Art Siilver Coin Set with Swarovski" is in sale since Tuesday, January 19, 2016. This item is in the category "Coins & Paper Money\Coins\ US\Novelty". The seller is "jvpic" and is located in Berlin. This item can be shipped worldwide.