Roman Marble Sculptures 7 IMPORTANT ROMAN MARBLE SCULPTURE KNOWN AS THE PASQUINO GROUP : MENELAOS SUPPORTS THE BODY OF PATROKLOS After a Hellenistic prototype of the 3rd Century BC, depicting the scene in Homer’s Illiad, XVII. Ca. 2nd Century AD. H. 27 3/4 in. (70.5 cm.); L. 28 1/4 in. (73 cm.); W. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm.) Ex John W. Kluge collection, Palm Beach, Florida, acquired from Royal-Athena Galleries in 1995. Published: J. Eisenberg, Art of the Ancient World, vol. VI, 1991, no. 164; vol. XX, 2009, no. 10. Menelaos attempts to protect the body of Patroklos from the Trojans, but finally he is driven off by Hektor. The Trojan commander strips Achilles’ beautiful armor from the corpse and puts it on in place of his own. Then, almost immediately, a battle develops over Patroklos’ naked corpse. Finally, the body of Patroklos is rescued and is safely carried back to the Achaian camp. The most complete original example known. A major work of art. See the fragment on the Piazza Pasquino, Rome, and another much-restored 1st Century example in the Loggia dei Lanzi, adjoining the Ufizzi Gallery, Florence.
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