Apollo Sauroctonus at The Louvre, Paris

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The Apollo Sauroctonus, a work of art created by the Athenian sculptor Praxiteles around 350-340 BC, stands as one of his finest achievements. This masterpiece is unique in its subject matter and style, blending traditional Greek artistic techniques with bold innovations that would later influence Roman sculptors. The piece depicts Apollo as an adolescent, poised to catch a lizard climbing up a tree trunk, showcasing the god's purifying virtues and subtle allusions to his struggle against the serpent Python. The marble statue was acquired by the Louvre shortly after 1807, when Napoleon I purchased the collection of Prince Camillo Borghese. It is widely regarded as the finest Roman copy of the Apollo Sauroctonus, a bronze work attributed to Praxiteles in Pliny's Natural History (34.69-70). The original, now lost, dates back to the mid-4th century BC and was likely created by Praxiteles himself. Apollo is depicted as a carefree youth, absorbed in his childish game of hunting a lizard. His gaze is vacant, while he nonchalantly leans against a tree trunk with his left hand, preparing to grab the lizard climbing up it with his right hand. This seemingly odd subject matter was likely an important factor in making the Sauroctonus a popular choice for Roman sculptors during the Imperial era. A large number of Roman copies of the group have been recorded, including small-scale models that showcase the work's enduring appeal. The Roman poet Martial even wrote a witty epigram about it (14, 172). Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain Apollo's actions, often referencing the religious allusions that would have originally conveyed by the scene. The work is thought to refer to Apollo's purifying virtues, as well as his struggle against evil creatures and scourges. It may also be an early adumbration of his confrontation with the serpent Python in Delphi. This theme is echoed in other epithets associated with Apollo, such as Apollo Smintheus, the rat slayer, and Apollo Parnopios, the locust slayer. Praxiteles (fl. 375-335 BC) is best known for his Aphrodite of Cnidos, a groundbreaking female nude in Greek sculpture. However, all of his works, including the Apollo Sauroctonus, showcase bold styles that depart from the classical tradition of the fifth century BC. The subject allowed Praxiteles to develop one of his favorite themes: young male nudes with elegant, almost feminine bodies and sharply defined hips. Praxiteles took contrapposto, a technique developed by Polykleitos a century earlier, to new heights by positioning the body off-balance, requiring it to lean against a support. In this case, the tree trunk serves as both a realistic detail that evokes the scene's setting and a structural support for the figure. The contrast between the smooth curves of the figure and the rough bark of the tree trunk is striking, particularly in the way the muscles are carefully smoothed and softened. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory that aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help. Scanned using photogrammetry and processed with Agisoft PhotoScan.