Image of Hephaestion?

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Alexias
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Image of Hephaestion?

Post by Alexias »

Also in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, is a plaster cast of the Apoxyomenos, the Scrapper, an athlete using a strigil after exercise. The original statue is a 1st century AD marble copy of a bronze by Lysippos, Alexander's favourite sculptor, dating to about 330 BC. Lysippos made the statue taller and leaner than the norm, so could it actually be a portrait of Hephaestion? It bears characteristics associated with Hephaestion - the short curly hair, creased brow and full lips, as well as the 'Alexander' deep-set eyes gazing into the distance. Or is it just a standard image?
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This is a photo of the Hephaestion relief from Thessalonika, from a book illustration, courtesy of System1988, the only image we have of Hephaestion which is associated with his name.
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The emperor Tiberius is said to have been so enamoured of the statue that he had it removed from the public baths of Agrippa to his bedroom until he was forced to return it because of the public outcry.
Alexias
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Re: Image of Hephaestion?

Post by Alexias »

Ok, I did a bit more digging and it seems that "Apoxyomenos was based on a wrestler, Cheilon of Patrai, who died in 322 BC.", although I don't know on what authority this statement is based.
system1988
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Re: Image of Hephaestion?

Post by system1988 »

Lysippos gave almost portrait- like characteristics to this famous statue so I don' think that in some way he wished for it to look like Hephaestion.
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robbie
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Re: Image of Hephaestion?

Post by robbie »

Then there is also this one. Hephaestion was said to have an oval face with brown, curly hairs. Can't for the life of me, though, understand why they gave him long hair in the Stone movie?!
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Alexias
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Re: Image of Hephaestion?

Post by Alexias »

Hi, Robbie. This image is not of Hephaestion, although it has now entered Alexander mythology as being him, so the misconception is unlikely to be shaken.

This is an online translation of the museum's own website:
Probably Greek original of the early third century BC, depicting a mythical hero diádoco or in the style of Scopas. Of the various versions that run on the history of this work, the more meritorious the stands at the Palace of Christina of Sweden in Rome with an image of Christ. It was then considered a portrait of Alexander, Prince Queen ideal: Remember that this, in his Catholic baptism, chose the double name of Cristina Alejandra. Such identification, although reprehensible, reveals a knowledge of classical art rare in the seventeenth century: even today, when looking bronze parallel to this, the closest being a colossal portrait is preserved in Copenhagen, the great Macedonian conqueror, the only noticeable difference is the long hair that the latter holds. It is therefore preposterous hypothesis recently discussed, that our bronze representing Hephaestion, the best friend of Alejandro.Sin however, the issue of royal portraiture in early caution should Hellenism. If Lysippus created the official image of Alexander, we know that their desire was confused between the features of his model with the ideal traits of Heracles and Achilles. And among the generals who accompanied him and divided his empire, this heroization broke through across the board: often with headband, but sometimes not, Ptolemy, Seleucus, Lysimachus and other Diadochi factions were represented with strong and serene, choppy hair and a superhuman grandeur, can sometimes overshadow the personal traits. In such circumstances, what name we give this head, the only remains of a statue of 3.50 m in height? To what extent can we be sure that represented a monarch and not a mythological hero, when clearly its dependence Meleager of Scopas? Certainly, this magnificent bronze guard still many unknowns, which include even the original Greek character likely brought to Rome in antiquity.
The original is here http://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/g ... no_cache=1 and it is identified as one of the Diadochi.

It is dated to the 280s BC and in my opinion it is very unlikley that a generation after his death, there would have been anyone alive who would have bothered to commission such an expensive bronze of Hephaestion.
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