Violence in the arts is nothing new. The ‘Greek Athlete Attacked By A Lion’ contrasts vividly with Bernini’s Proserpine in dealing with pressure on the flesh which seems to have been quite popular at this time. Had there been added colour in the marble bright red blood would have been flowing freely down the Athlete.

The way Pierre Puget has produced the leg, (angle and tension) is perhaps this work’s strongest point.
His arms and chest are of an athlete, a true representation of a well developed adult male at the height of his athletic training.

I wonder though if his face depicts the pain most of us would have felt in this situation? Perhaps Puget was a master of understatement. Thank you again to Taschen.