Laocoön: The Suffering of a Trojan Priest & Its Afterlife

The sculpture group of Laocoön and His Sons, on display in the Vatican since its rediscovery in 1506, depicts the suffering of the Trojan prince and priest Laocoön (brother of Anchises) and his young sons Antiphantes and Thymbraeus and is one of the most famous and fascinating statues of antiquity. In his Natural History, Pliny the Elder states that the Laocoön, created by the eminent Rhodian sculptors Hagesander, Polydorus, and Athenodorus, “is a work of art to be preferred to any other painting or statuary” (36.37). Among art historians, the sculptural group has received near-universal acclaim ever since its rediscovery under questionable circumstances in 1506.

Is the statue famously shown since its discovery in the newly designed Belvedere Garden at the Vatican Palace actually the ancient sculpture mentioned by Pliny, or rather a clever Renaissance forgery? If the latter, who may have contrived this masterful deception? If the former, is it an original, or a marble copy of a Hellenistic bronze made for a Roman patron?

Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts

In the most famous version of the story, as told by Virgil (70-19 BCE) in his Aeneid, Laocoön had warned his fellow citizens against the Greeks “even if they bear gifts,” and had tried to expose the true nature of the wooden horse by striking it with a spear (the wooden horse in question, of course, being the notorious “Trojan Horse”, left by the Greek forces on the coast so as to provide access into the city to the troops hidden inside the construction). When later two serpents emerged from the sea to kill the priest and his sons, the Trojans interpreted their horrific deaths as an act of divine retribution and promptly decided to move the wooden horse into the city, believing the contraption to be an offering to Minerva (Athena).

According to Arctinus of Miletus, the earliest tradition of the tragedy (surviving only through later citations), Apollo had sent the two serpents to kill Laocoön and only one of his sons; while the later author Quintus of Smyrna maintains that the serpents killed both sons but spared the father.

Servius, another late authority (c. 400 CE), tells us how Laocoön managed to incur the wrath of Apollo by sleeping with his wife before the cult statue in the god's temple. An even later source, the Byzantine scholar Tzetzes, adds that the scene of Laocoön's death took place in the very temple of the Thymbraean Apollo – appropriately setting the punishment at the scene of the crime.

The 5th-century BCE Greek playwright Sophocles produced a tragedy on the subject, of which only a few fragments survive in later citations. Apart from the sources mentioned above, Hellenistic poets Apollodorus and Euphorion, the historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus, the Roman novelist Petronius, the Latin fables attributed to Hyginus, and a few other fragments, all provide various details of the tragic story.

Despite this appearance in ancient literature from the post-Homeric to Byzantine traditions, artistic representations of Laocoön's suffering are few and far between. Depictions appear in some Greek vase paintings (5th to 4th centuries BCE) and in two frescoes at Pompeii (c. 25-75 CE). The marble statue group of Laocoön and His Sons, therefore remains the most exceptional portrayal of only a handful of ancient works illustrating the suffering of Laocoön.

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SPHINX Wall Painting Detail | Fragment: From Villa della Farnesina, Rome [service room of the small space I at the entrance to villa cryptoporticus] Discovered | Excavated in 1879 "in the garden of the Renaissance Villa Farnesina" [modern Trastevere area] Augustan age, 1 BC - 1 AD.

Palazzo Massimo, Museo Nazionale Romano | MNR PM [2nd Floor, Sala III.] • Web : https://museonazionaleromano.beniculturali.it/en/palazzo-massimo • FB : https://www.facebook.com/MNRomano • IG : @museonazionaleromano • TW : @MNR_museo

MNR PM | Michael Svetbird phs©msp | 18|06|23 6200X4100 600 [I.] The photographed object is the collection item of MNR PM and subject to copyrights. [non commercial use | sorry for the watermarks]

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Greco-Roman Sculpture of “The Kissing Men” #romanhistory #romanart #sculptureart #grecoroman #kissingmen #homoerotic (at Catalina Foothills, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn-rF98vrQKAXqPHT6PMlgswQU8giteANVKg9M0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

the goat at Pollice Verso by Jean-Léon Gérôme.

Ratximus. . “My name is Ratximus Ratcimus Meratius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Rattus Legions, loyal servant to the true RatKing, Wootus Wooterlius. Father to a squeakered pup, husband to a squeakered nestmate. And I will have my squeakeance, in this life or the next.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #gladiator #maximus #generalmaximus #romangeneral #romanlegion #romanart #romansoldier #ancientrome #ratart #ratstagram #rattus #ratartist #ratartwork #ratlover #rodent #rats #characterdesign #animalartist https://www.instagram.com/p/CnDHzEeqxss/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Roman Gold Earrings With Glass Beads (c. 1-300 AD) . Provenance: London, England - collection of Ancient art that was formed during the 1970s, then passed by descent. Currently for sale at Apollo Auctions, London. . Pair of gold hoop earrings: medium hoops with three strands of glass and gold beads on each earring. These beautiful items probably belonged to a Roman noblewoman. . The Romans loved wearing earrings. This was arguably their staple personal decoration. Some ancient sources commented on the Romans and their obsession with earrings; that they wore such heavy earrings, their ears became stretched. . Jewellery was one of the few things wealthy women could buy and sell themselves. Jewellery was particularly important because it prominently displayed their high social status. Size: L:35mm / W:36mm ; 5g Photo credit: Apollo Auctions, London #jewellery #jewelry #gold #goldearrings #earrings #rome #ancientrome #roman #romanart #fineartjeweller #juliamorgan #juliamorganjewellery #antiquity #antiquities #shop #shophere #shoponline #history (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeQsUV8uQP8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Part 1 of my trip to The Met! This set is mostly sculptures! #themet #photgraphy #sculptures #romanart #romansculpture #museums (at The Met) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgWt3cDOl9F/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

A Gallery of Daily Life in Classical Antiquity

Throughout the ages, people have wondered what daily life in ancient Greece and Rome may have been like. How did people in the Classical World go about their lives, and was it really different to how we live today?

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• VILLA POPPÆA | Villa A, Oplontis [Torre Annunziata] Calidarium [3], a bath room, recess: Wall painting [depicting Heracles-?]

http://pompeiisites.org/en/oplontis-en-2/villa-poppaea FB : https://www.facebook.com/pompeiiparcoarcheologico IG : @pompeii_parco_archeologico TW : @pompeii_sites

PAP VP | Michael Svetbird phs©msp | 10-11|22 6200X4100 600 [III.] [non commercial use | sorry for the watermarks]

https://www.michaelsvetbird.com

Worcester Art Museum: A Comprehensive Collection of Roman Art #artmuseum #Romanart #Romanbust #sculptures #WorcesterArtMuseum

Worcester Art Museum: A Comprehensive Collection of Roman Art #artmuseum #Romanart #Romanbust #sculptures #WorcesterArtMuseum

28. my take on a roman amphora seal #romanart #skull #skullart #vase #flower #wheel #bee #savethebees #beeart #beeillustration #lineart #blackandwhite #rapidograph #penart #draw #drawing #drawingchallenge #dailydraw #dailypractice #dailydrawingchallenge #draweveryday #draweverydamnday #draweverydaydraweveryway (at Mountain Home, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpIWmVurR5z/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Palatine Museum

Palatine Museum is located on the Palatine Hill and was created during the second half of the 19th century.  Palatine Hill is located across from the Colosseum and visitors can easily walk to the site.  Palatine Hill also provides a great view of the Colosseum and the site is often missed by tourists.  Fun Fact: Palatine is the origin word for Palace. This site should be included as part of…

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Woooooo full body drawing. Learning to draw actual body fat because years of shity art tutorials and unrealistic beauty expectations. Proof that anyone and everyone can be hot. But like that’s one of my favorite things, beauty is so damn subjective you bet your ass at least .001% of the population finds you attractive and .001% of 7billionish is alllOooot of people. So yeah, value your self. (Idk how I got here but oh well) - -please don’t repost- - - - - - #art #charcoal #charcoalart #digitalcharcoal #nudeart #anatomystudy #anatomyart #anatomysketch #humannude #manboobs #moobs #romanart #oc #ocart https://www.instagram.com/p/CgsECT8OTWF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Part 2 of my trip to The Met! This set is all pottery! #themet #photgraphy #romanart #romanpottery #museums https://www.instagram.com/p/CgWuaeIuID2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

'Why are you acting so strange?' • • Been a good while now since I've posted something. Can't even count how many times I revised this piece 🙃 shares and saves appreciated 🖤✨ • #art2022 #artistofinstagram #artoninstagram #artoftheday #digitalart #digitalpainting #digitalillustration #digitalartist #greekinspiration #greekart #sailormoon #romanart #roman #greekmythology #greekdesign #romandesign #instaart #instaartist #skull #anatomy #cat #conceptart #surrealism #surrealist #pink #blue #deadatnight #art #visualart #blackartists (at Toronto, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgAYwPNJS8M/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=