Chares of Lindos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chares of Lindos (fl. in 280 BC) was a Greek sculptor born on the island of Rhodes. He was a pupil of Lysippus. [1] Chares constructed the Colossus of Rhodes in 282 BC, an enormous bronze statue of the sun god Helios and also the patron god of Rhodes.[2] The statue was built to commemorate Rhodes' victory over the invading Macedonians in 305 BC, led by Demetrius I, son of Antigonus, a general under Alexander the Great. Also attributed to Chares was a colossal head which was brought to Rome and dedicated by P. Lentulus Spinther on the Capitoline Hill, in 57 BC (Pliny, Natural History XXXIV.18)). [3]

The Colossus of Rhodes is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,[4] and was considered Chares's greatest accomplishment, until its destruction in an earthquake in 226 BC.[5]

It is believed that Chares did not live to see his project finished. There are several legends stating that he committed suicide. In one tale he has almost finished the statue when someone points out a small flaw in the construction. The sculptor is so ashamed of it he kills himself. In another version the city fathers decide to double the height of the statue. Chares only doubles his fee, forgetting that doubling the height will mean an eightfold increase in the amount of materials needed. This drives him into bankruptcy and suicide. The work may have been completed by Laches, also an inhabitant of Lindos.[6][7]

There is no evidence that either of these tales are true. A controversial character, his true fate is lost to history.

L. Sprague de Camp's novel The Bronze God of Rhodes is written as Chares' memoirs of the Siege of Rhodes and the building of the Colossus of Rhodes.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence. Arts, Briefly. nytimes.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  2. ^ Information about the Colossus of Rhodes. www.rhodos-travel.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  3. ^ The Ancient Library. www.ancientlibrary.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  4. ^ The Colossus of Rhodes. www.unmuseum.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  5. ^ Colossus of Rhodes. www.corrosion-doctors.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  6. ^ A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology (ed. William Smith). www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  7. ^ A general and bibliographical dictionary of the fine arts. www.books.google.se. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.