Lysippos
Greek·-390–-300
No Portrait Available
Lysippos was an ancient Greek sculptor active in the 4th century BCE, regarded as one of the greatest bronze workers of antiquity. He was the personal sculptor of Alexander the Great, who reportedly decreed that only Lysippos could make his portrait. Ancient sources claim he produced around 1,500 bronze statues, though none survive in their original form.
Lysippos introduced a new canon of proportions: slenderer figures with smaller heads relative to the body, creating a more elegant and naturalistic look than his predecessor Polykleitos. His Apoxyomenos (Athlete Scraping Himself) is known through a Roman marble copy in the Vatican Museums. He influenced sculptors well into the Hellenistic period.
Sculptures by Lysippos
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Museums with Lysippos's Work
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About Lysippos
Lysippos was Alexander the Great's official portraitist and revolutionized sculptural proportions. He reportedly produced 1,500 bronzes, though none of the originals survive. His slender figures replaced the stockier canon of Polykleitos.
The Apoxyomenos (Athlete Scraping Himself) is Lysippos' most famous composition, showing a young athlete cleaning oil from his arm with a curved tool. The Roman marble copy at the Vatican Museums preserves the original's elegant proportions.
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