nude male figure at center fighting snakes off of his arms and legs; toddler with a snake on his leg grabs at the man's PL leg, while a young boy to the man's PR struggles with a snake on his own leg; stone archway and pillars in background

Laocoön, 1538

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Rome was jubilant when the antique sculpture Laocoön was unearthed in 1506. Now in the Vatican Museums, the work redefined pathos. It depicts the powerfully muscled Trojan priest Laocoön (lay-ah´-ko-on) and his adolescent sons trapped by two deadly serpents worthy of filmmaker George Lucas. Apparently working from a written description, Hans Brosamer arrived at a less distressing, less majestic interpretation. The abrading between Laocoön’s legs may be the work of a censor who objected to nudity in pagan prints.

Details
Title
Laocoön
Artist Life
1506 - 1552
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2015.93.127
Provenance
John E. Andrus III, Wayzata, Minn.; by descent to his daughters, Elizabeth, Katie, and Julie; gave to MIA, 2015. Earlier provenances have been gathered, but further research will increase our knowledge of their histories.
Catalogue Raisonne
Bartsch 15 (vol. 8, p. 462); Hollstein 20; Nagler Monogrammisten III, 656, 2
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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nude male figure at center fighting snakes off of his arms and legs; toddler with a snake on his leg grabs at the man's PL leg, while a young boy to the man's PR struggles with a snake on his own leg; stone archway and pillars in background