Vatican
City | Truly an unmissable masterpiece at the massive Vatican Museums, located
in the Belvedere Courtyard, accessible through the museums' Pio-Clementine
section, the statue of Laocoön and His Sons is an extraordinary work of art
that captures a moment of intense emotional pain, portraying the Trojan priest
Laocoön and his sons being attacked by sea serpents, an event that was
chronicled in Virgil's Aeneid. The sculpture is believed to have been created in
the first century BCE and was excavated in Rome in 1506. It has since become
one of the most renowned sculptures in the world – as art historian Johann
Joachim Winckelmann puts it: "Few works of ancient sculpture are so
well known, or have been so often copied, as the group of Laocoön". Indeed, it was such
an honor to finally see it face to face, off a page in my then world history
book.
Despite the heavy attention it had been getting during my visit at the museum, I spent good few minutes admiring the littlest of its details. It slowly evoked in me a sense of deep empathy for the Trojan priest and his children, capturing their anguish and pain in fighting a losing battle, just as we feel powerless against the challenges we have no control of. But looking at it fron a different perspective, Laocoön and his sons somehow pose defiance, refusing to give up even in the face of death and overwhelming despair, a testament to the human spirit & power of resilience.
May this piece be a loud reminder of the importance of embracing all of life's complexities and fragilities. Because, at some point we all suffer and that there is a limit of human power. Merry Christmas everyone!
