- Sculpture: Warrior Bronzes of Riace
Description: As a classical work, the sculpture is an example of a contrapposto where weight is supported by the back legs. It was to be transported to a Roman city but ended up submerged in water possibly because of a shipwreck.
- Sculpture: Athena and Marsyas by Myron
Origin and Era: Greek – Early classical
Description: The sculpture does not fail to embody movement especially because the artist studied actions of athletes. Although none of the original work in bronze survived, it had Roman copies in marble.
- Sculpture: Discobolos by Myron
Origin and Era: Greek – Early classical
Description: It features the moment when the athlete is about to hurl his discus. This attention to movement is practiced in the classical era. Like the Athena and Marsyas, the only surviving work is its Roman copy in marble.
- Sculpture: Diadumenus by Polykleitos
Origin and Era: Greek – Classical
Description: It is a statue of a young athlete at the moment he is tying the fillet around his curly hair. As with the works of Myron, this sculpture is only seen through its Roman copy.
- Sculpture: Doryphorus by Polykleitos
Origin and Era: Greek – Classical
Description: Like the Warrior Bronzes of Riace, it is one of the early examples of the Greek classical contrapposto. It is also knows as Canon and features symmetria which is the perfect harmony of bodily proportions. Sadly, the original work was lost and now, only the Roman copy in Italy can be seen.
- Sculpture: Hermes Carrying the Infant Dionysus by Praxiteles
Origin and Era: Greek – Late classical
Description: The Germans excavated this sculpture at Olympia in 1877 and remains to be the only known surviving work of Praxiteles. It features delicate forms and elegant surface finish.
- Sculpture: Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles
Origin and Era: Greek – Late Classical
Description: The statue shows the goddess preparing for a ritual bath and completely naked. It is one of the two Aphrodite statues that the artist sold, the other one being the draped version sold to the inhabitants of Kos. The image of this work has been reproduced in Roman coins and copies can be found in Rome and Paris.
- Sculpture: Aphrodite of Melos by Alexandros of Antioch
Origin and Era: Greek - Hellenistic
Description: The statue shows the goddess in a twisted stance with an emphasis on her projected knee and drapery that was about to fall off her body. This brings erotism in art that was typical in the Hellenistic period. It now rests at the Louvre Museum in France.
- Sculpture: Herakles by Lysippos
Origin and Era: Greek - Hellenistic
Description: The statue is also known as Farnese Hercules and features the hero with drooping shoulders and a disheartened look. This vulnerability of humans is often seen in Hellenistic art. A Roman copy was secured for the Baths of Caracalla that was later on found in 1546.
- Sculpture: Sleeping Eros
Origin and Era: Greek - Hellenistic
Description: The vulnerability of Eros is shown here as he lies in slumber. He is shown as disarmed and brought down to Earth. It is one of the most popular to be produced during the Roman Imperial times.
- Sculpture: Winged Victory of Samothrace
Origin and Era: Greek – Hellenistic
Description: It is also known as Nike of Samothrace created by a Rhodian sculptor. The goddess is shown at the moment she lands on the ship with her swirling fabric as she commemorates the Rhodian victory in a naval battle at Cyprus. It is now displayed in the Louvre Museum.
- Sculpture: Dying Gaul
Origin and Era: Greek - Hellenistic
Description: It is also known as the Dying Gladiator and is actually a Roman copy of the original bronze sculpture. It shows a wounded Celtic warrior prior to his death. It was dedicated to Attalus I of Pegamon to commemorate his triumph over the Galatians.
- Sculpture: Laocoon and His Sons by Agesander, Polydorus, and Athenodorus
Origin and Era: Greek - Hellenistic
Description: It shows the scene from mythology where Poseidon sent sea serpents to kill Laocoon and his sons. The work depicted the pain endured by them as the serpents strangled and twisted their bodies. This original Greek sculpture now resides in the Vatican Museums at Rome.
