Running head: THE DYING GAUL 1

The Dying Gaul

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The Epigonos’ art of “The Dying Galatian” or rather “The Dying Gaul” originates from the

Pergamon empire during the Hellenistic period (Picón, 2016). The art sculpture was excavated

from Julius Caesar’s garden in Rome. The art is believed to have been commissioned by Attalus

I of Pergamon between 230 BC and 220 BC as a festivity for his conquest over the Galatians

(Picón, 2016). The person behind the sculpting of the figure is unknown, but there are

speculations that Epigonus of the Attalid dynasty was the creator.

The Hellenistic figure consists of marble. However, the original copy of the sculpture

consisted of bronze (Picón, 2016). The statuette has a long thick hair, a mustache, and a neck

trinket referred to as the torque (The Slide Projector, 2018). The body of the figure has an

athletic physique. The Gaul’s head is in a downcast posture which suggests a body deprived of

energy. He lies on his oval shield with his trumpet lying beneath his legs. The Roman marble

copy of the Pergamon original bronze carving is a life-size sculpture. The sculpture is nude and

wounded.

The long bushy hair and the neck ornament (the torque) portrays the figure as a Gaul, a

Celtic, and a barbarian (The Slide Projector, 2018). The posture of the body elicits emotions

from a viewer. The Gaul posture depicts him trying to pick himself up but end up leaning on the

failing strength of his arms thus the downcast head posture. The fallen shield and trumpet

symbolizes a defeated soldier in the war field. His nude form is perfect but wounded from the

war. The Celtic figure is a depiction of not only a monstrous foe but also a wounded warrior. The

sculpture is erotic, passionate, violent, and dramatic at the same time.

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References

Picón, C. A., & Hemingway, S. (2016). Pergamon and the Hellenistic kingdoms of the Ancient

World. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Slide Projector, Chapman University (2018). Dying Gallic Trumpeter. Retrieved from

http://www.theslideprojector.com/pdffiles/art3/guidebookpages/dyingtrumpeter.pdf