The Doryphoros of Polykleitos is one of the best known Greek sculptures of Classical antiquity, depicting a solidly built, muscular, standing warrior, originally bearing a spear balanced on his left shoulder.

What is the significance of the Doryphoros?

The Doryphoros typifies the new approach to depicting the human form in the high Classical Period of Greek art. Artists placed increasing emphasis on the ideal man, who was depicted in heroic nudity with a young, athletic body that was naturalistic in musculature and pose.

Why was Doryphoros called canon?

Polykleitos sought to capture the ideal proportions of the human figure in his statues and developed a set of aesthetic principles governing these proportions that was known as the Canon or “Rule.” In formulating this “Rule,” Polykleitos created a system based on a simple mathematical formula in which the human body ...