Laocoon;+Baccio+Bandinelli,+1525


 * The Replicator**
 * Creator || Baccio Bandinelli ||
 * Title || Laocoon and his Sons (Laocoön) ||
 * Work Type || sculpture ||
 * Date || 1520-25 ||
 * Material || white marble ||
 * Measurements || height: 213 cm ||
 * Description || direct copy of the Hellenistic sculptural group by Agesandros of Rhodes, Polydoros of Rhodes and Athanadoros of Rhodes ||
 * Repository || Galleria degli Uffizi ||
 * ARTstor Collection || Italian and other European Art (Scala Archives) ||

**HISTORY:** Baccio Bandinelli depicted this Laocoon under the direction of Cardinal Bernardo Divizio of Bibbiena, for a gift to the king. Bandinelli was ordered to create a replica of equal or greater talent than one already owned by the Cardinal. Bandinelli answered the Cardinal that he was “confident that he could make one not merely equal to it, but even surpassing it in perfection" (Barkan, 2001).  Bandinelli’s Laocoon never made it to France for the king, and soon became of equal and then even greater value than the original. A cast was made of the statue and two copies were made. In 1797 Napoleon was finally able to capture the Laocoon to bring it back to Paris (Grafton, 2010).   Bandinelli had a fierce competitive drive and always wanted to beat-out the all-mighty Michelangelo, but only became famous for his replicas. But yet other masters tried to replicate Bandinelli’s Laocoon. Masters like Titian and Salvador Dali (Goffen, 2002).

**SOURCES:** Barkan, L. (2001). //Unearthing the past: archaeology and aesthetics in the making of renaissance culture//. New York: Yale University Press.

Goffen, R. (2002). //Renaissance rivals: michelangelo, leonardo, raphael, titian//. Singapore: Getty Grant Project.

Grafton, A. (2010). //The classical tradition//. New York: Harvard University Press.

Richter, S. (1992). //Laocoon's body and the aesthetics of pain//. Wayne State University Press.