Bronze Apollo of Delphi

This remarkable bronze figure of Apollo, dating to the early 5th century BCE, is one of the finest examples of early Classical Greek sculpture in any collection. Standing at just under a meter in height, the figure displays the characteristic transition from the rigid Archaic style to the more naturalistic Classical manner.

The figure was discovered during excavations at a sanctuary site in southern Greece in 1923. Its exceptional state of preservation, with intact inlaid silver eyes and copper lips, makes it an invaluable document of ancient metalworking techniques.

Conservation

The sculpture underwent extensive conservation between 2018 and 2020, revealing traces of original gilding on the hair and sandals that had been obscured by centuries of burial.