THE PYTHIAN APOLLO OF APOLLONIA: A SCULPTURE AFTER THE PRAXITELEAN SCHOOL

The Pythian Apollo is one of most important sculptures found in the ancient Illyrian city of Apollonia. The two parts of this sculpture were found in 1958, within Dwelling "D" during excavations in the sector with the same name. The parts were identified as a unique sculpture on 1964 by Frano Prendi and Hasan Ceka and the study was published in the same year as "Sculptures of Apollonia". This sculpture is dated around century II AD and beginning of century III AD. The Pythian Apollo is linked to a classical statuesque prototype of the century IV BC due to its stylistic features. By following the mentioned studies, and through step by step analysis of all the stylistic elements and forms of the sculpture, and comparison with similar Praxiteles sculptures, this paper reaches the conclusion that the sculpture of Pythian Apollo is made after the Praxitelean School.Keywords: Apollonia Illyria, sculpture, Pythian Apollo, Delphic tripod, Praxiteles, Praxiteles school, praxitelean curve, the line of beauty “S”, contrapposto