Discobolus (The Discus Thrower)
The artist
Myron, a famous ancient Greek sculptor.
What you see
A strong young athlete crouched and coiled like a spring, holding a round discus back behind him at the very moment before he swings his arm to throw it.
The story
Myron made the original around 450 BC to capture the beauty of a sportsman in action, and it became one of the most admired images of Greek athletics.
The style
The original was cast in bronze, but it is lost today, so we know it from careful marble copies made later by Roman sculptors.
Look closer
Look at how his whole body twists into a curve, freezing one split second of motion so it feels like he could spring forward at any moment.
Where to see it
Fine marble copies can be seen in museums in Rome, Italy, and in the British Museum in London, England.
Fun fact
The discus throw is still an Olympic sport today, just as it was in the ancient Greek games more than two thousand years ago.