The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of November 7, 2024

Mirror Support: Athlete

Mirror Support: Athlete

460–450 BCE
Location: 102C Greek

Did You Know?

Most Greek mirror stands depict female figures, but this one depicts a male.

Description

A muscular nude youth strides forward on a square metal plate with his arms outstretched. The plate and the volute decoration that adorns his head suggest that this statuette was the support for a mirror. The youth is likely an athlete, as he holds an alabastron or oil vessel in his right hand. The oil may be an offering to the gods for victory, or to rub onto the skin to protect and beautify his body before an athletic contest. The mirror was made separately and would have been attached to the triangular tang above the athlete’s head.
  • Bieber, Margaret. "Greek Sculpture in the Cleveland Museum of Art," Art in America. (July, 1943). p. 119, illust.
    Wunderlich, Silvia. "A Bronze Patera Handle." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 34, no. 7 (September 1947): 164-166. Mentioned: p. 164 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 21 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 21 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 23 archive.org
    Thomas, Renate. Athletenstatuetten der Spatarchaik und des Strengen Stils. Rome: Giorgio Bretschneider, 1981. pp. 83, Plates XL-XLII
    Herrmann, John J., and Christine Kondoleon. Games for the Gods: The Greek Athlete and the Olympic Spirit. Boston, Mass: MFA Publications, a division of the Museum of Fine Arts, 2004. Mentioned: p. 184; Reproduced: p.133, no. 104
  • Games for the Gods: The Greek Athlete. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, MA (organizer) (July 20-November 28, 2004).
    Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (7/20/2004 - 11/28/2004): "Games for the Gods: The Greek Athlete"
    Mirrors: Art and Symbol. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 3-November 18, 1984).
    Stamps: Art in Miniature. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 11, 1955-May 12, 2017).
    The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).
  • {{cite web|title=Mirror Support: Athlete|url=false|author=|year=460–450 BCE|access-date=07 November 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1928.659