842 - Masterful sculpture of a youth in the classical style

Masterful sculpture of a youth in the classical style Neoclassical sculpture Second half of the 18th century Limestone Height 60 cm Damaged The art of Greek and Roman antiquity served as a central point of reference for neoclassical sculpture. Ancient sculptures served as models for idealized body forms, balanced proportions, and a beauty perceived as timeless. Archaeological discoveries, the study of ancient collections, and the writings of Johann Joachim Winckelmann fostered this turn toward classical ideals of form in the 18th century. The finely crafted limestone sculpture depicts a beardless youth in a pronounced contrapposto pose. The hip shifted to the right and the head turned to the left give the body an elegant S-curve. His left hand is raised to his chest. His cloak rests over the crook of his left arm, runs behind his body, and falls in billowing folds around his hips, covering his groin. A belt appears to secure the fabric; behind his legs, it cascades down to the base of the sculpture. The meticulous modeling of the body’s surface contrasts with the dynamic folds of the cloak and the sculpturally rendered hair. Voluminous, spiral-shaped curls fall across the forehead and down the sides past the ears. The interplay of youthful features, dynamic posture, and artfully arranged drapery lends the figure a graceful appearance comparable to ancient models such as depictions of Paris or Narcissus.