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Antinous is a free standing marble sculpture in the round. The philhellenic elements of this statue are drawn from its visual style, while the Farnese Antinous was sculpted in the Roman period, Antinous emulates an athlete in the Classical Greek style. Specifically, this sculpture is emulated after Polykleitos' statue Doryphoros. The most discernible difference between the two is that Antinous is an adolescent youth, while Doryphorus is sculpted as a young adult. Similarities between Antinous and Doryphorus can be drawn with the nude form, use of contrapposto, the stoic expression, as well as the outstretched arm. Doryphorus holds a spear, and Antinous appears to hold something himself in his right hand.
The Antinous Farnese can be identified as a Roman imperial piece rather than Greek Classical by noting the engraved pupils, which was a trend set in Roman sculpture by Hadrian himself. Other Hadrianic-Imperial details of this statue can be seen in the volume of the hair and carved out nostrils, as these features were formed with a drilling techniques that allowed the Romans to explore texture differences in the hair versus skin in ways that had not been possible before. Another indication that this sculpture is Roman, not Greek, is the inclusion of a structural support on the back right leg, casually disguised as a log. This structural support, also known as a strut, may have helped further identify Antinous within the context of its time.
Polykleitos Doryphoros strut contrapposto in the round Hadrian Farnese Antinous Classical