The Apollo Belvedere
Note: The Apollo Belvedere represents one of the great legacies of Greek art. It was a Roman copy, probably of a bronze original made by the Athenian sculptor Leochares, who worked for Alexander the Great, around 320BC. The Apollo Belvedere was discovered in the late 1400's near Rome, and has been in the Vatican since 1511, in the Cortile del Belvedere, from which it gets its name. The statue had a major influence on Renaissance art, including Michelangelo's David and Creation of Adam. By the 18th century, however, views of the statue shifted - the pope at the time, Pope Pius IV was offended by its nudity, and had its genitals covered with a coy fig-leaf. He also decided to have new hands made for Apollo and added to the statue... In more recent history, the Apollo Belvedere served as the model for the Apollo head shown on the badges of the astronauts on the Apollo 17 Mission!