The influence of restorations on statue types



The keen interest in archaeology has sometimes led to surprising restorations, and even to the creation of certain statue types. Since the 19th century, and still more so in recent decades, studies of statue types have been overturned by research into earlier restorations. Restorers down the centuries have sometimes recreated whole works through the association of Antique fragments from diverse origins. Arms and legs have been repositioned; "gaps" have been filled with modern addenda; sculptors have reworked statues to suit contemporary tastes. All these interventions have contributed to the emergence of statues combining fragments of the Praxitelean type and modern additions, making it difficult to ascertain the appearance of the original work by Praxiteles, on which they are based.