Belvedere Torso

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Belvedere Torso is a fragment of a nude male statue, signed by the Athenian sculptor Apollonius. The statue was discovered in the Campo de' Fiori during the period of Pope Julius II (pope 1503-1513). It was once believed to be a 1st century BC original, but is now believed to be a copy of an older statue, likely dating to the 2nd century BC. The statue's figure is portrayed seated on an animal hide; the exact figure represented remains open to debate (possibilities include Hercules, Polyphemus and Marsyas, among others). The contorted pose of the torso and musculature were highly influential on late Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque artists, including Michelangelo and Raphael.

The statue is currently part of the collection of the Museo Pio-Clementino of the Vatican Museum. The name "Belvedere" derives from the Cortile del Belvedere, where the work was formerly displayed. The torso should not be confused with another famous work of the collection, the Apollo Belvedere.

Detail of the Belvedere Torso

Drawing of the Belvedere Torso; Rossi, 18th century. Engraving. Plate IX. 28 x 29 cm.

Michelangelo's The Last Judgement. Saint Bartholomew is shown holding the knife of his martyrdom and his flayed skin. The figure's torso strongly echoes the Belvedere Torso.

Torso of the Belvedere, neo-attic artwork, 1st century CE. The inscription on the pedestal reads "made by Apollonios, son of Nestor, Athenian". Museo Pio-Clementino (Inv. 1192), Vatican Museums, Rome.