Portrait of the Greek Orator Demosthenes

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin that has been used for thousands of years to make objects as diverse as sculpture and figurines, weapons and armor, and jewelry and tableware. The addition of tin and sometimes lead made the alloy more versatile and lowered its melting point; another common copper alloy is brass (copper and zinc), which was in widespread use in the Roman period. Although other materials, like stone, glass, and terracotta, were available, copper alloy items were valued for their golden sheen, versatility, and durability. The material lent prestige and beauty to objects like these statuettes, most of which would have been dedicated to the gods. Modern bronzes are often artificially patinated, like the Rodin sculpture in this colonnade. While ancient bronzes were sometimes gilded or deliberately darkened, the unaltered surfaces naturally acquired a red, green, or brown patina over time. In 280 BCE, the sculptor Polyeuktos created a bronze statue of the orator and politician Demosthenes (384–322 BCE). This statuette, a reduced copy of the original, is an example of a psychological portrait, where the inner thoughts and character as well as the physical features of the subject are depicted. This piece is the only extant copy preserving the cupped hands of the original statue, an unusual feature described in ancient literature. Revered by the Romans as one of the greatest Greek orators, Demosthenes led the Athenians against Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great, who eventually controlled all of Greece.