VILLA OF TIBERIUS (Sperlonga - Italy) Sperlongas main cultural attraction is the museum erected in the grounds of the former Villa of Tiberius showing the groups of sculpture found in the grotto celebrating the deeds of Odysseus. According to Tacitus and Suetonius, the roof of the grotto collapsed while Tiberius was dining, and Sejanus rushed to save Tiberius, for which Tiberius in gratitude promoted him, launching his rise to power. Tiberius moved to Capri after 26 AD. The villa included a grotto where some famous sculptures, now housed in the museum, have been found: these portrayed the assault of Scylla to Odysseus ship, the blinding of Polyphemus, the theft of the Palladium and Odysseus lifting Achilless corpse. The works have been attributed to Rhodian sculptors Agesander, Athenedoros and Polydoros, and are thought to be the same authors of the group of Laocoön and His Sons (as attributed by Pliny the Elder). Yet whether the very same artists are responsible is questionable. Some scholars believe them to be related, but not the same people; apart from Athenedoros who was the last to be credited as an artist on the Laocoon group, but first to be credited with the Scylla series - suggesting that he was the youngest during the creation of the Laocoon group, but eldest artist who worked on the Scylla group. Furthermore, the differentiation in classicism between the two set of works implies that one preceded the other with separation, and thus that not all artists are the same people, but descendents.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 13:08:32 +0000
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