"Discobolo", Grand Tour. Italy, 19th century.

Grand Tour School. Italy, 19th century. Model of MIRON (5th century BC).
"Discobolus".
Patinated bronze.
Presents inscription in Greek.
Measurements: 160 x 108 x 52 cm.

Reproduction in patinated bronze of the "Discobolus", the most famous work of the Greek sculptor Myron of Eleutherus, made around 455 BC. This is a high quality, life-size replica. It takes up the spirit of the original, perfectly exemplifying the classical ideal: it summarizes in a single moment a complete action, reflecting the human body in its maximum tension and splendor, an effort that is not reflected in the face, which reveals a serene concentration.

The original work, also in bronze, is not preserved, as is usual with classical Greek statuary, which has come down to us through Roman copies, such as the one on display in the British Museum.

The term "Grand Tour", which appears for the first time in the work "The Voyage d'Italie" by Richard Lassels, was used to define the long journey through Europe, especially Italy, which was usually made by young British aristocrats from the seventeenth century, but especially throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The purpose of the trip was for young people to become acquainted with the art and culture of France and Italy, to admire classical art at first hand, to learn or improve their knowledge of languages, and to establish contacts and relationships with the cultural and political elites of these countries. Travelers were often looking for pieces with which to start their own art collections, objects to take back to their places of residence as souvenirs. For this reason, workshops specialized in the replica of Roman pieces, both in bronze and marble, emerged, some of which acquired a great reputation.