Changing perception of beauty
Would we today pay attention to the Belvedere Apollo if we were not told that it was the most praised statue of the Antiquity, admired by Michelangelo and his contemporaries? Would we have the eye to appreciate it? I have my doubt. Less sensitive to its beauty as our ancestors were, we view it as a “not-to-be-missed” piece of art history on a long list of astounding art work in Rome.
The Belvedere Apollo in the Vatican Museum became particularly celebrated in the 18th century, when German art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann, one of the founding fathers of modern archeology, rediscovered it and praised it as being the best example of Greek perfection in the arts.
The ancient statue, found in Anzio, south of Rome, towards the end of the 15th century, represents the Greek god Apollo as a standing archer. His position suggests that he may have just thrown an arrow from the bow (now destroyed) in his left hand. It is believed that the statue represents the god in the act of killing the serpent Python, the guardian of Delphi, and that after his victory, he himself made his oracle in the ancient Greek city of Delphi, although this interpretation is disputed.
In terms of aesthetics, the statue, a second-century Roman copy of a 330 BCE Greek statue by Leochares, is particularly famous for its so-called contrapposto stance, resting on one leg and showing the figure both from the front and in profile. It became particularly noticed when Pope Julius II, a great patron of the arts who undertook the renovation and enlargement of the Vatican palaces, put it on display in the newly built Cortile del Belvedere. Michelangelo, who worked at the Vatican at the time, greatly admired it too and helped spread its fame. On his return to Florence after a first stay in Rome, he was inspired to create his David, which has a similar contrapposto stance but is twice as tall.
Interest in the Apollo sculpture was revived in the 18th century with Winckelmann’s studies. Originally from Germany, he came to Rome to perfect his knowledge of ancient art and was eventually appointed Director General of Roman antiquities at the Vatican. He was one of the first scholars to distinguish original Greek sculptures from Roman copies and confirmed that the Apollo was a Roman copy. In his History of Ancient Art, he praised that sculpture as embodying the highest ideal of art, elevating it to a godly representation of eternal spring. Winckelmann’s treatise became a reference for writers, scholars and artists of his time who came to Rome on a Grand Tour to educated themselves about its ancient treasures.
Art and beauty can be subjective and follow the fashion of the times. Two and a half centuries later, our criteria of appreciation have changed, we turn our gaze to other forms of art, however this classic Apollo can give us a sense of permanence in a fast-changing and sometimes chaotic world.
