Il nudo maschile nella statuaria romana antica: il gruppo di NIOBE -- i figli di NIOBE -- NIOBIDI -- Villa Medici.

^Speranza

 

DYING NIOBIDS, Villa Medici, Roma

Reconstructed group portraying Niobe and her children.

 

Poriginal at Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence.

A complex set of ancient statues found in Rome in 1583 and representing Niobe and her children was placed at the end of the long alley which started at the entrance in Via di Porta Pinciana.

 

Grand Duke Leopold I of Tuscany was so fond of these statues that he arranged a special room at Galleria degli Uffizi for them.

The myth of Niobe is a symbol of punished pride.

 

Niobe despised Leto who had only two children (Apollo and Diana), whereas her offspring numbered ten (or fourteen), but the gods killed all her children and Niobe was turned into a weeping rock.