Statue of Apollo, The Omphalos Apollo

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This statue of Apollo, carved from Pentelic marble, was discovered in Athens at the Theatre of Dionysus. Known as the "Omphalos Apollo," this sculpture bore a name derived from its base in the shame of the omphalos, with which it was originally associated. It is a work of the 2nd century AD, emulating the bronze original (now lost) sculptured in 460-450 BC by a skilled sculptor of the Severe Style, possibly Kalamis. Over twenty versions and copies of this sculpture type are known to exist. According to mythology, the omphalos was a net-covered rock used to mark the center of the world. One of the stones was kept at Delphi, and it is that stone that has supposedly been preserved with this replica. The weight of the piece rests upon the right leg. The left is slightly withdrawn and held away from the body. The slight outward projection of the right hip is balanced by the outward movement of the arms. The figure's head is tilted to the right, displaying the god's long, oval-shaped face. The god's large, deeply set eyes and soft, full lips dominate his face. His head is crowned by a mass of hair arranged in thin, orderly locks that fall onto his forehead. A thin double-braid of hair runs around his head. The figure's hair and other aesthetic features are typical of the Severe style popular during the fifth century BC.