Doryphoros (The Spear Bearer)

myminifactory

The Spear Bearer embodies the unyielding, classical ideal of masculinity. Here we see a tranquil, harmonious, muscular warrior poised for battle. The lines above the shoulder and hip converge in different directions: this is a "contrapposto" stance; the sculpture is in motion. The original was crafted by Polyclitus, who penned a treatise on the precise proportions of a canonical work, and his sculptures were extensively replicated. The Greek satirist Lucian (120-180 CE) disapproved of the uniformity that such dictates of taste entailed. He declared that the Spear Bearer resembles a man fleeing after having been unfaithful, and that he walks as if he had a radish lodged up his backside. Even in the prudish 19th century it was entirely acceptable to appreciate the numerous naked male and female bodies on display at museums. Modern gender studies have pointed out that gender identity is formed through repetition of established patterns and systems, and indeed artifacts such as this spear bearer, and a cast collection as such, serve as perfect examples. - Henrik Holm, senior research curator at SMK This is a 3D scan of a plaster cast of the sculpture 'The Spear Bearer' created by Polyclitus circa 450 BCE. The scan was generated from the cast (ref. KAS11) in The Royal Cast Collection at SMK – National Gallery of Denmark. The scan is a downscaled version (approximately 10 mb). To learn more about the 3D scans of casts in The Royal Cast Collection and download all high-resolution 3D models, visit: www.smk.dk/3d. If you create new work using the model and wish to share it with us, please email web@smk.dk.