DORYPHOROS OF POLYKLEITOS

By: Jared Polivka

Professor Burleson
Humanities 1301
8 August 2021
MARBLE ROMAN COPY OF THE BRONZE GREEK
SCULPTURE OF DORYPHOROS, SCULPTED BY
POLYKLEITOS.
THE CREATION OF DORYPHOROS

 Sculpted around 440 BCE

 Created by Polykleitos
 Originally made from bronze
 Contrapposto stance
 Original sculpture balancing spear on
left shoulder
 Built using mathematical proportions
 Built as part of Polykleitos “canon”
 Fine details including veins and hair
WHO IS DORYPHOROS

 One of the most popular sculptures

from the high classical period
 Idealized male warrior and athlete
 Strong built and muscular physique
 Heroic nudity
 Generic emotionless face
 Represents the perfect Greek citizen
 “Spear bearer”/ “spear carrier”
GREEK VS ROMAN SCULPTURES

 Romans take over Greek cities

 Roman generals bring back Greek art
 High demand for Greek sculptures in Rome
 Studios set up to make copies of Greek sculptures
 Copies made from marble
 Doryphoros was on of the most sought-after sculptures
 Greek bronze sculptures melted into weapons
 Doryphoros today are roman marble copies of the bronze
Greek original
 Used tree trunks for support instead of spear
IMPORTANCE OF
DORYPHOROS
 Advancing understanding of the human
body
 Symmetry between body parts
 Polykleitos known as best sculptor of
men
 Doryphoros is one of his most popular
pieces
 Showed society full human potential
 Exemplum of male beauty
WORK CITED
 “The Doryphoros by Polykleitos at the MIA.” Flickr, Yahoo!, 24 Apr. 2014, www.flickr.com/photos/jerry7171/13988651731.

 “Art: Doryphoros (CANON).” Annenberg Learner, 26 Sept. 2019,

www.learner.org/series/art-through-time-a-global-view/the-body/doryphoros-canon/.  

 Coleman, By: Sally Whitman, and Sally Whitman Coleman. “The Doryphoros: He's Kind of a Big Deal: The Art Minute.” The
Art Minute | Short Lessons in Art History.®, 9 Feb. 2013, www.the-art-minute.com/the-doryphoros-hes-kind-of-a-big-deal/.

 “Doryphoros.” Doryphoros | Museum of Art and Archaeology, maa.missouri.edu/gallery/Doryphoros.

 Harris, Beth, and Steven Zucker. “Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer), Polykleitos (Article).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy,
www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/ancient-mediterranean-ap/greece-etruria-rome/a/polykleitos-doryphoros-spear-
bearer
.

 “The ROMAN-NESS of Greek Art and The Greek-Ness of Roman Art.” World History, www.worldhistory.biz/ancient-
history/64536-caroline-vout.html.

 Sosnovskiy, Sergey. “Doryphoros. Naples, National ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM.” Flickr, Yahoo!, 13 Nov. 2019,
www.flickr.com/photos/sssn09/49059407566/.

 Cadwell, James. “Doryphoros.” Flickr, Yahoo!, 23 May 2013, www.flickr.com/photos/54438761@N03/8797816978/.