Where can I see the Apollo Belvedere?

It's in the Cortile del Belvedere at the Vatican Museums in Rome. It's been on semi-public display since 1511 and was one of the first sculptures in what became the Vatican's vast art collection.

How old is the Apollo Belvedere?

The marble statue dates to the mid-2nd century CE, but it's a Roman copy of a Greek bronze original from around 330-320 BCE, attributed to the sculptor Leochares. It stands 224 cm (7 feet 4 inches) tall and is carved from Carrara marble.

What does the sculpture show?

Apollo is depicted having just shot an arrow, likely at the serpent Python. His left arm extends forward holding a now-missing bow, and his gaze follows the arrow's path. He wears sandals and a cloak draped over his outstretched arm. The pose conveys a calm, godlike confidence.

Why was it considered the ideal of beauty?

For centuries, the Apollo Belvedere was regarded as the pinnacle of classical sculpture. Art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann called it the highest ideal of art among all ancient works. It defined Western beauty standards through the Neoclassical period. Its influence faded in the 19th century as tastes shifted toward the Elgin Marbles and less 'polished' classical works.

Where Is Apollo Belvedere? See It at Vatican Museums

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Apollo Belvedere

by Leochares, -350

Year: -350
Medium: Marble (Roman copy of Greek bronze)
Size: 224 cm (88 in) tall

Where to See It

Vatican Museums

Vatican City, Vatican City

Permanently housed

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The Artist

Leochares

-370–-320

Greek

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The Apollo Belvedere shows the god of light in the moment after shooting an arrow, his idealized body combining grace with athletic power. This Roman marble copy dates to the 2nd century CE, based on a Greek bronze original by Leochares from around 350 BCE. The statue entered the Vatican collection around 1511 and defined classical beauty for centuries.

For 18th-century neoclassicists, the Apollo Belvedere represented the pinnacle of artistic achievement. Art historian Johann Winckelmann described it as "the highest ideal of art among all the works of antiquity." The statue influenced countless artists from Canova to Thorvaldsen and shaped Western ideals of male beauty.

Modern scholars have tempered the enthusiasm, but the Apollo remains a cornerstone of the Vatican Museums' classical collection.

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Raphael, 1514

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Apollo Belvedere