Group with Satyrs and a Nymph

myminifactory

A distinct trend emerges in Hellenistic sculpture, closely tied to the city of Pergamum in Asia Minor, whose peak coincides with the reign of the Attalid dynasty (241–133bc). Characterized by an exaggerated emphasis on emotional display and meticulous naturalistic detail, works from the Pergamene School surpass their predecessors. The Dying Gauls series, most notably represented by a statue in Rome's Capitoline Museum, are believed to be copies of statues commissioned by Attalus I (241–197bc) to commemorate his victory over the Gauls. Meanwhile, the Great Altar of Zeus (c.180–150bc), housed in Berlin's Pergamum Museum, showcases vivid relief carvings depicting a dramatic struggle between gods and giants, exuding an extraordinary sense of movement and tension. Some scholars question whether these works justify a separate Pergamene School, pointing to similarities with other Hellenistic masterpieces like Laocoön. However, T.B.L.Webster's Hellenistic Poetry and Art (1964) argues that despite the diverse backgrounds of the artists employed by Attalid kings, they achieved a unified style that warrants the name Pergamene.