The Belvedere Torso

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This is a plaster cast of the Belvedere Torso, a fragmentary marble statue of a nude male, known in Rome since the 1430s and prominently signed by "Apollonios, son of Nestor, Athenian" on the front of its base. Unmentioned in ancient literature, this artist is now a topic of debate among historians. The Belvedere Torso is displayed at the Museo Pio-Clementino (Inv. 1192) of the Vatican Museums. The figure is seated on an animal hide and remains unidentified despite its traditional portrayal as Heracles on the skin of the Nemean lion. Recent studies, however, have suggested that it may be a panther skin, leading to other identifications such as Hercules, Polyphemus, or Marsyas. According to the Vatican Museum website, the most favored hypothesis is that it depicts Ajax, the son of Telamon, contemplating his suicide. Initially believed to be an original from the 1st century BC, the Belvedere Torso is now considered a copy from the same century of an older statue that likely dated back to the early 2nd century BC.