#lysippos

Hermes tying his sandal, Roman copy of a Greek original attributed to Lysippos.

Okay, here's one I can get behind. It uses the Azara herm, which may be one of the least idealized statues of Alexander the Great. The bronze original was made by Lysippos during ATG's lifetime; the Azara herm is a Roman marble copy.

I've been less-than-enthused by several other recent attempts, although some were better than others. This comes closest, imo.

Horses of Saint Mark

The traditional theory attributes the sculptural group to the sculptor of the 4th century BC, Lysippos, thanks to its plasticity and natural body movement.

However, studies in its material showed that the horses are mostly from copper (which is best for gilding) and their processing with the techique of the lost wax in a monumental size suggests a later date to 2nd or 3rd AD. They might have been on the top of a triumphal arch, while it's possible they were comissioned by Emperor Septimus Severus.

During the Byzantine Era, written sources indicate that the horses adorned Constantinople's Hippodrome among many statues from around the world including an egyptian obelisk and a serpent column. As the chariot races' hallmark, the horses must have been exceptionally impressive when shining thanks to their gilding.

In 1204, during the Last Crusade, the Crusadors plundered Constantinople. At Doge Enrico Dandolo's command, the Venetians took the horses in Venice. Since their heads had been cut off for the transportation, collars were added to hide the reparation's scar. However, it wasn't until 50 years later, after Doge Ranieri Zeno's initiative, that the horses were put in the loggia on the façade of San Marco.

The horses inspired artists, such as Gentile Bellini, and drew the curiosity of the scholars, like Petrarch, who were the first to wonder about their origin.

In 1797, they were looted by Napoleon's army and were installed along with a quadriga on the Arc Du Triumph Du Carousel, in Paris. The horses on the Arc today are exact copies.

In 1815, the horses were victoriously restored to San Marco. The horses we see on he façade today are copies, as the original are transferred inside the basilica for protection.

Silenus with the child Dionysos 2nd c. CE (after a 4th C. BCE original by Lysippos)

"He [Dionysos] was accompanied . . . by a personal attendant and caretaker, Seilenos (Silenus), who was his adviser and instructor in the most excellent pursuits and contributed greatly to the high achievements and fame of Dionysos."

-Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 4. 4. 3 (trans. Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.)