Innovation in Replication: A case study in dealing with issues of “copying” | The Modern Prometheus: Innovation and the Canon in Lucian | And now I perceived innovations were already begun: Historical Change in Josephus' Thought | Cold Splashes and Rising Heat: Innovations in Greek and Roman Bathing | Aristotle and the Problem of Political Change | Artistic Change and Religious Conservatism: Votives in the Greek Sanctuary | Punitive Progress? Tullus Hostilius and Innovations in Capital Punishment at Rome

Innovation in Replication: A case study in dealing with issues of  “copying.”

    When discussing the concept of innovation, it is important to define what is meant and to explore the limits of the term.  This paper discusses just that; it deals with what is innovative about Roman copies of Greek sculpture.  This has been a hotly debated topic for more than a century.  I hope to add to the discussion with a case study of the Righetti Hercules, a statue housed in the Vatican Museum.  This paper will draw heavily on the work of Mark Fullerton, Tonio Hölscher, and Ellen Perry; yet, I believe it is useful for considering how these different theories play out with regard to a single sculpture.
    The Righetti Hercules provides a prime example of eclectic copying practices and the problematic scholarship surrounding the study of Roman copies of Greek sculptures.  The sculpture itself has not garnished much attention in the last 50 years; however, in the late 19th century it was a very important work in the known repertoire of Roman art.  Most of the early work on this statue, suggested that it derived from a prototype by either Skopas (because of the lack of a beard) or Polycleitos (because of the curvature of the body).  However, the legs of the sculpture also are remarkably similar to another statue of Hercules, which has been attributed to Lysippos.  When added to the mix, this leaves us with three of the greatest Greek masters represented in three different body zones.  What would the motive behind this be and does it matter?  Ultimately, this paper will demonstrate both how the attribution of copies works and how its methods can be highly questionable.  It also proposes how ancient Romans viewed eclecticism in art not as a mere pastiche of earlier objects, derivative in nature; but, instead the Romans may have recognized the talent required to pull together the multitude of precursors into a single unified sculpture.