Running Girl, the so-called "Barberini Atalanta"

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This breathtaking sculpture, known as The Running Girl or simply "Atalanta Barberini," showcases an exceptionally well-preserved female athlete in a remarkable full-figure statue. Originally part of the renowned Barberini Collection, it was purchased by the esteemed Pio Clementino Museum (Vatican Museums, Inv. No. 2784) in 1772 and subsequently restored to its former glory by Giovanni Pierantoni in 1783. The girl is dressed in a lightweight chiton that drapes effortlessly against her slender frame, while her legs and right breast are exposed with an Amazonian flair. Her arm stretches out towards the palm branch carved into the trunk beside her, a powerful symbol of victory. As it turns out, women were largely excluded from Olympic competitions, but on rare occasions, races for women were organized to honor the Goddess Hera at her temple in Olympia (Pausanias, 5, 16, 3). This Roman copy beautifully captures the strict canons found in archaic and Ionic Greek art styles, dating the original to around 460 BC. However, due to the absence of other replicas, some scholars consider this work an autonomous neo-Attic creation, possibly a product of Pasiteles' circle (mid-1st century BC). It's essential to note that during the Hadrianic age, mixing multiple styles was considered normal. The blending of archaic features with Hellenistic elegance in the athlete's movements could be attributed to the eclecticism of the Roman copyist. Another possible interpretation is that the athlete is none other than Atalanta, a legendary virgin huntress from Greek mythology who defied marriage and captured the heart of hero Meleager. In a famous race between Atalanta and Hippomenes, her rival deliberately drops golden apples to distract her, causing Atalanta to lose the competition.