#statue of apollo

[historypaintings]

Alexander Consulting the Oracle of Apollo

Artist: Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée (French, 1725–1805)

Date: 1789

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Private Collection

Description

Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 BCE), after becoming king of the Macedonians, but before launching his famous invasion of the Persian Empire, decided to stop by the Oracle at Delphi for a prophecy about his future. Alexander’s visit to Delphi sparked a curious legend, and the odd story was later recorded by the prolific biographer, Plutarch (c. 50-120). As the story goes, Alexander had the bad luck of arriving at Delphi on a day when the Oracle was closed due to religious law and customs. The young king, the legend tells, was such an impetuous and headstrong person that, rather than wait a day or two for the Oracle site to resume its operations, Alexander instead barged into the complex and forcefully compelled the priestess to deliver a divine message, despite the religious laws forbidding her from carrying out her duties on that day. On this odd episode, Plutarch wrote:

“[Alexander] visited Delphi because he wished to consult the oracle of Apollo about the expedition against the Persians. It so happened that he arrived on one of those days which are called inauspicious, when it is forbidden for the oracle to deliver a reply. In spite of this he first sent for the prophetess, and when she refused to officiate and explained that the law forbade her to do so, he went up himself and tried to drag her by force to the shrine. At last, as if overcome by his persistence, she exclaimed, ‘You are invincible, my son!’ and when Alexander heard this, he declared that he wanted no other prophecy…” (Plutarch, Parallel Lives, Life of Alexander, chapter 13).

Such is the scene that Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée re-creates in his painting, featured above. It shows Alexander the Great dragging a priestess, known as a Pythia, towards a statue of Delphi’s patron god, Apollo. The scene likely is set right around the time when the priestess complained that pushy Alexander was invincible, or perhaps incorrigible. Whatever really occurred at Delphi during Alexander’s visit, the king subsequently invaded the Persian Empire with confidence in 334 BCE, beginning his famous series of campaigns that took him from the Middle East to the borderlands of India.

[blueiscoool]

Stone carved Medusa from the Temple of Apollo at Didyma in Turkey.

[1960z]

so apollo thinks phoenix is knowledgeable about marriage huh? ….. I wonder who he thinks he’s married to?

[s-c-r-ee-ch]

Apollo Citharoedus

Roman copy of a Greek original from the 5th century BC.

Chiaramonti Museum - Braccio Nuovo, Vatican

[spec-s]

this is dumb

{version without background under the cut}

[my-name-is-apollo]

Neoclassical sculptures of pastoral Apollo my beloved 💖💖💖

"Pastoral Apollo" by John Flaxman

"Sleeping Apollo" by Benedetto Cacciatori

"Apollo instructing the shepherds" by Charles-Gabriel Sauvage

"Pastoral Apollo" by Joseph Gott

[arisketchart]

[ghostywind]

Ok I set myself a goal to try and finish one art thing this year, so here's my hunter in the Guardian Games 2025 armour which has been my favourite ever. And yes, surprising no one, I main a nightstalker.

Just putting it out there, I hate drawing clothes, this has been a waking hell of my own design, never again.

[scoutartzz]

i bring more for you guys

[evilios]

Bronze of the young Apollo

An early 20th century bronze of the young Apollo wearing a laurel wreath in his hair, with a light brown patination.

Photo source: 🏺

[eyeofthebrainstorm]

There's something very compelling to me about how Vax and Vex are the Apollo/Artemis trope with a twist. Vex is a huntress and she uses bow and arrows, but while Artemis is goddess of the moon and chaste, Vex is very sensual and ends up under the protection of the sun god. Vax is a theater kid and he's charming, with that main character energy and poetic destiny. But unlike Apollo he's dark and connected to shadows and death. He's also very devoted to a woman who will eventually become a tree.

[angelicathedaisy]

currently obsessed with this gorgeous statue of Melpomene muse of tragedy

Roman statue of Melpomene, 2nd century A.D.

[arrow-of-orion]

Apollo and Diana, an 1848 marble statue by American artist and sculptor Thomas Crawford.

This captures their essence quite well imo!

[wishmemellon]

Personal favorite aesthetic of mine is birds hanging out on statues of Leto and Apollo

[s-c-r-ee-ch]

APOLLO

Sculpture in the Alley of Muses, Kiev

[d-ovee]

Apollo

Albertina • Vienna, Austria