The Discus Thrower This marble statue shows an athlete in mid-throw, capturing the tension in the muscles and tendons. The original was made about 450 B.C.E., perhaps by the sculptor Myron of Athens. As is true of so much Greek statuary, the original is lost, and this is a Roman copy. Athletes in Greece regularly competed nude, including in the Olympic games.

(Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK/Ancient Art and Architecture Collection Ltd./Bridgeman Images)