Definition: The ancient Greek sculptor Polycleitos was a native of Argos and pupil of Ageladas. He was a contemporary of Pheidia, whose equal he was considered by the Greeks of the time. Polycleitos -- Polyclitus or Polycleitus -- was one of the most admired ancient sculptors. He lived in the 5th century B.C., during the High Classical Period.
Polycleitos created a chryselephantine statue of Hera for the temple of the goddess Hera at Argos. All his other sculptures were in bronze. Polycleitos is known for his Doryphoros statue (Spear-bearer), which illustrated his book, which was called Canon. Canon was a (canonical) theoretical work on ideal mathematical proportions for human body parts and on the balance between tension and movement, which is known as symmetria 'symmetry.
Alternate Spellings: Polyclitus, Polycleitus
