Torso of Apollo
Unknown Artist
c. 100–200 CE
Medium
marble
Dimensions
h. 90 cm · platform: 15.2 × 76.2 × 55.9 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of J. H. Wade
Accession Number
1924.1017
About this artwork
This ancient statue depicts the Greek god Apollo, identified by his youthful body and the fragmentary remains of his kithara, a type of lyre (or stringed instrument) used by poets and musicians in ancient Greece. Both the kithara, decorated with griffins, and the swan upon which it rests (atop a triangular column), signify Apollo’s roles as the god of music and leader of the Muses. Beloved by the Muses for their song, swans were considered sacred to Apollo because he gave them the gift of prophe...