Marble Torso of Eros in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, July 2007

Marble torso of Eros
Roman, Imperial period, 1st or 2nd century AD
Adaptation of a Greek bronze statue representing the Apollo Sauroktonos (Lizard Slayer) of ca. 350 BC by Praxiteles

Accession # 24.97.14

The delicately modeled surface and sineous curve of this torso are typical of the style of Praxiteles. The original bronze statue showed the young Apollo leaning against a tall tree trunk and holding an arrow; he was poised to slay a lizard climing up the tree. The Romans did not hesitate to alter and adapt famous Greek works. Here, Apollo has been transformed into Eros as can be seen by the remains of wings on his back.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.