Sunday, June 24, 2012

A Poseur's Guide to Art: Lesson #5

or "Proof of Reincarnation" ... or "Separated at Birth" ... or ... "What Happens When Your Mind Wanders at a Museum"

The Museo Archeologico is in Naples; it houses most of the recovered treasures of Pompeii and Herculaneum.  A number of the works were truly amazing -- the Doryphoros (which included an excellent lecture by my spouse), Weary HerculesThe Farnese Bull, and The Battle of Issus to name a few.  

But the following stopped me in my tracks.  The whole James Naismith thing may well be a myth.

 
(Freaky, no?)




Fyi, Larry Bird is on the right in both cases.  The statue (on the left) wasn't commissioned by Red Auerbach. Nor, given the hairdo and the fact that this was a woman's portrait bust slapped onto the body of Aprhrodite, was it paid for by Jerry Buss as a bit of a joke.  Nor was it excavated on the outskirts of French Lick, IN. Rather, it dates from the 1st century AD. 




1 comment:

  1. I have never thought of Larry Bird as a face that has been preserved for eternity in great art, but you are totally right. I am indignant on behalf of Aphrodite. This is why the only person making art out of me is the reincarnation of John Singer Sargant (that guy knew how to make his subjects look fab which is why they all commissioned him, very wise) or Matt, because he is fond of me and also will get in big trouble if he makes me look like Larry Bird.

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