Apollo Lykeios; Roman copy from the first half of the 2nd c. AD after a Greek original by Praxiteles from ca. 330 BC

This sculptural fragment; with only the torso preserved; is considered to be a Roman imitation of the famous statue exhibited in Lykeion; the sacred grove dedicated to Apollo located just outside the city walls of Athens. The grove is also known as the site of a philosophical school founded by Aristotle. It is no wonder that so many copies of the statue of Apollo installed there; as well at their descriptions; were preserved. We know that Apollo was holding a bow in his left hand; his right arm raised above his head. It is believed to be a late work of Praxiteles; although the ancients attributed the statue to one of his disciples. The "Warsaw" copy most probably dates to the 2nd century AD. The sculpture belongs to the Musée du Louvre and has been showcased in Warsaw as a long-term loan.