Lysippus, << ly SIHP uhs >> (380’s?-306? B.C.), revolutionized sculpture in ancient Greece. None of Lysippus’ work has survived, but many works are known from copies and written accounts. Lysippus was famous for his bronze statues of athletes, gods, and heroes. He created figures that seemed to turn and extend their arms into space, forcing the viewer to walk around the sculptures to see it from all sides. His figures expressed emotion, and ancient writers said that his statues inspired fear and reverence. Lysippus reintroduced sculpture in which the figures are many times larger than life-sized. He also created allegorical sculptures, in which the figures represent ideas, such as hope or freedom. All these characteristics became important in later Greek sculpture.
Lysippus was born near Sikionia. He was court sculptor to Alexander the Great, and his portraits so pleased the ruler that Alexander permitted only Lysippus to model his image. Lysippus’ most famous sculptures include statues of the god Zeus and the hero Heracles (Hercules in Latin). He also created a statue of the god Eros and an allegorical statue of Opportunity.
