Laocoön and his Sons

 https://smarthistory.org/athanadoros-hagesandros-and-polydoros-of-rhodes-laocoon-and-his-sons/

 

Dr. Amanda Herring, "Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydoros of Rhodes, Laocoön and his Sons," in Smarthistory, August 25, 2021, accessed September 16, 2021, https://smarthistory.org/athanadoros-hagesandros-and-polydoros-of-rhodes-laocoon-and-his-sons/.

 

Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydoros of Rhodes, Laocoön and his Sons


Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydoros of Rhodes, Laocoön and his Sons, early first century C.E., marble, 7'10 1/2" high (Vatican Museums; photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)


This group sculpture is a largely influential piece that stands well over 6’8” tall, and it is composed of entirely marble. The piece consists of Laocoön and his sons. The three are sculpted to be muscular and strong. As you can see in the image above, there is a large snake wrapped around Laocoön and his sons. The symbolization of the exaggerated muscles is to show how Laocoön has to fight off the snake in order to protect his sons. In the time of the art piece, it would have originally been painted. You would’ve seen the bright vibrant green of the snake and the vivid red blood of the bites. However, due to age the paint has worn off. In the sculpture, one of his sons is already dead, while the other is struggling. You can also tell from the expression on Laocoön’s face that he has been injured by the snakes. I believe this piece is important because it shows how a father will always fight for his sons. This piece has been influential over time, considering it was the only one of its kind made. This piece has been left, abandoned, and discarded several times. According to the article it has even been buried under city streets. This piece was rediscovered during the Renaissance, and ever since it has been greatly admired. Another thing I have noticed is that several of the hands are missing. This is a sign of typical wear and tear, and it is most likely from being buried under the city streets. An interesting point I read is that the Laocoon is a rare survivor piece. It is rare and unusual because it has been described in an ancient text, and most pieces described by ancient writers get lost and are never recovered. As this piece is discussed and debated by scholars and art historians, its meaning continues to leave a lasting mark on its viewers. The sculptor depicted Laocoön’s and his sons agony and left his audience feeling emotional and concerned while doing so.

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