Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus of Rhodes
Agesander, Athenodoros and Polydorus are the Rhodian sculptors associated with the Hellenistic masterpiece Laocoön and His Sons. Their dramatic carving—taut anatomy, spiraling composition, and charged emotion—became a touchstone for Renaissance and Baroque artists. The Vatican’s marble group, unearthed in Rome in 1506, anchors the dialogue between classical pathos and Christian Rome.
Artworks by Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus of Rhodes
in the Vatican Museums
#2
Laocoön and His Sons
A Trojan priest and his two sons writhe as sea serpents strike—ancient marble that turns pain and warning into high drama.
Touchstone of Hellenistic drama and anatomy.
