Explore the Interpretation of this artwork, Victorious Youth.
According to Jiri Frel, the stance and proportion of the Getty Bronze are similar to Lysippos's portrait of Demetrios Poliorketes (336-283 B.C.).  The least controversial theory is that the strong calves emphasize his athletic abilities, making him an Olympic runner who held a victor's palm branch in his left arm.  Claims state there are actual traces of palm after studying the statue.  Interpreting the anatomy is important in identifying the statue, from the detail in the joints, delicate attention to the wrists and ends of fingers there is a youthful representation.  Greek games functioned as a major aspect in Greek culture and art.  During the second century A.D., athletic contests were consistent events in various cities throughout Greece.  At Olympia, these games were categorized for men, youth and boys.  The Panhellenic Games occurred at religious sanctuaries in honor of the gods; Delphi hosted Pythian games as gifts for Apollo and athletic events at Olympia for Zeus.  These games included footraces, combat sports, pentathlon, horse racing, and chariot racing. Delphi involved singing and playing of instruments to these Panhellenic Games.  The victors received wreaths of different leaves depending on the site location; laurel at Delphi, olive at Olympia, pine at Isthmia, and wild celery at Nemea.  By understanding the specific wreaths worn by the winners, one could hypothesize which temple the statue would have housed.
Jiri Frel in 1982 examines the statue associated with Alexander the Great, based on reviewing the whole figure the stance to features does not represent a well bred citizen but higher in class.  The artist's ability to capture not only beauty but produce a work of art that emphasizes the classical structures of Greek art during the Hellenistic period suggests the Youth as a descendant of one of the royal families from Alexander.  However, this theory did not survive the criticism of other scholars.  Not until the 1990s was the next attempt to identify the sculpture and the Getty Museum did not approve the name.  Now much debate and research is specific to anatomy, its date and authorship; but with the uncertainties of stylistic assessments its difficult to reach a consensus.
Jiri Frel Demetrios Poliorketes Getty Museum Lysippos Alexander the Great Olympia Isthmia Panhellenic Games Delphi