Museum of Apoxyomenos Inaugurated

The Museum of Apoxyomenos was recently inaugurated in Croatia. The distinctive characteristic of this museum is that it only houses a single work, the statue of Apoxyomenos (Scraper) from the Classical Greek period. From around the 1st century BC and believed to have been submerged for 2,000 years in the Adriatic Sea, the sculpture was the reason for the inauguration of the museum located in the Croatian island of Lošinj. The lone statue, which depicts an Apoxyomenos or athlete in the familiar act of cleaning dust of sweat from his body, was discovered by a Belgian diver in 1996. Retrieved from the ocean three years after it was found, the 1.92-meter high statue, was discovered 45 meters underwater, completely covered in marine flora and fauna, with its head severed from his body, and missing its left little finger. Scientists from five countries and about twenty restauration experts participated in the 1999 recovery. The statue is regarded as one of the world's best preserved statues of Apoxyomenos, a favorite theme in the sculptures of Ancient Greece. Conceived exclusively for the purpose of housing this work, the Museum of Apoxyomenos also shows a video and other material about the recovery operation in deep waters, the history of this particular type of sculpture, its artistic worth, and other supporting documentation. It is believed that the statue ended up at the bottom of the sea during a shipwreck caused by a storm. The statue is highly regarded because of its exceptional artistic value and outstanding classical beauty.