Marble statue of the so-called Stephanos Youth

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This depiction of youth represents one of the finest examples of sculpture sought after by Roman upper-class individuals who aimed to adorn their private villas with an air of sophistication and culture reminiscent of the recently subjugated Hellenistic kingdoms of the eastern Mediterranean. Greek sculptors in Athens and Rome could create replicas of renowned statues from the past or entirely new creations that merged various earlier Greek styles. The Stephanos Youth exemplifies this combination: its broad shoulders and stance evoke male statues from the second quarter of the fifth century B.C., while its small head and long legs are reminiscent of works by Lysippos, a famous sculptor of the mid-fourth century B.C. The soft modeling of flesh is characteristic of Praxiteles' sculptures as well as Hellenistic art from the third and second centuries B.C. This masterpiece was likely created through learned and eclectic combinations. Its immense popularity is evidenced by over seventeen ancient copies still existing today. Apparently, it was typical of sculpture available in Pasiteles' Roman workshop during the mid-first century B/C. Several Roman writers praised Pasiteles, and a rare sculptor's signature by Staphanos, his pupil, can be found on the most complete example, now housed in the Villa Albani, Rome.