The Farnese Bull is a Roman copy of a Greek original from which period?

The Farnese Bull is a Roman copy of a Greek original from the Hellenistic period.

The colossal marble group depicts the myth of Dirce, who was tied to a wild bull by Amphion and Zethus, the sons of Antiope. Its crowded composition, theatrical action, and dramatic emotional subject are characteristic of Hellenistic sculpture. The original is traditionally associated with the Rhodian artists Apollonius and Tauriscus of Tralles.

The Roman version was discovered in 1546 during excavations at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. It was heavily restored after discovery and became part of the Farnese collection before being transferred to Naples, where it is preserved in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale. At more than four metres high, it is among the largest surviving ancient sculptures.

“Roman copy” does not mean the work is a minor modern reproduction: Roman patrons often commissioned large-scale versions of famous Greek sculptures. The other periods are earlier Greek styles. Geometric art is associated with abstract patterned decoration, Archaic art with rigid forms, and Classical art with balanced idealism.