Laocoön and His Sons

Lore & Background

The story of Laocoön comes from the Greek Epic Cycle on the Trojan Wars, though not mentioned by Homer. It was the subject of a lost tragedy by Sophocles and mentioned by other Greek writers, with events varying considerably. The most famous account is in Virgil's Aeneid, dating from between 29 and 19 BC, possibly later than the sculpture. In Virgil, Laocoön was a priest of Poseidon killed with both sons after striking the Trojan Horse with a spear. In Sophocles, he was a priest of Apollo who had married, and the serpents killed only the sons, leaving Laocoön alive. Other versions involve punishment for having sex in a temple or for being right about the horse.

Reader's Guide

The Laocoön Group has been praised since antiquity, with Pliny the Elder calling it preferable to any other painting or bronze statuary. It is considered one of the finest examples of the Hellenistic baroque, though its origin is uncertain—whether an original work or a copy of an earlier bronze. The figures are nearly life-sized, with Laocoön's contorted facial expressions and straining body conveying agony. The sculpture underwent ancient modifications and restorations since excavation. Despite being in mostly excellent condition, it is missing several parts. The work's influence is seen in its description as 'the prototypical icon of human agony,' distinct from Christian portrayals of suffering. Its discovery in 1506 and placement in the Vatican Museums cemented its fame, though some have raised the possibility it is a Renaissance forgery, noting it was made from seven blocks rather than the single block Pliny described.

Did You Know?

• The statue is very likely the same one praised by Pliny the Elder, who attributed it to Greek sculptors Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus of Rhodes.
• The figures are nearly life-sized, with the group measuring just over 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in height.
• The sculpture depicts the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons Antiphantes and Thymbraeus being attacked by sea serpents.
• The dates suggested for the statue range from 200 BC to 68 AD, with a Julio-Claudian date (27 BC to 68 AD) now preferred.