The Belvedere Torso is signed by which sculptor?

The Belvedere Torso is signed by Apollonios of Athens, specifically Apollonios, son of Nestor, an Athenian sculptor.

The signature appears prominently on the front of the statue’s base. It identifies the artist as “Apollonios, son of Nestor, Athenian,” although Apollonios is not otherwise securely known from ancient literary sources. The inscription is therefore unusually important for identifying the maker of a celebrated Hellenistic sculpture.

The Belvedere Torso is a 1.59-metre fragmentary marble figure, now missing its head and limbs. It was once commonly identified as Heracles seated on the Nemean lion’s skin, but the subject remains debated. Other interpretations include Ajax contemplating suicide, Marsyas, and Polyphemus.

The statue’s date and status have also been reconsidered. Once treated as a second-century BC Greek original, it is now often viewed as a late Hellenistic or early Roman copy of an earlier sculpture, probably from the early second century BC. Its twisting pose profoundly influenced Michelangelo and later Renaissance artists.