Head of Apollo Belvedere 16" high reproduction of (4th century). There were twelve great gods of ancient Greece but the most widely worshipped was the handsome Apollo. He was the god of light and of youth and manly beauty. He was also the god of prophesy and for a thousand years emperors and leaders came to the oracle of Delphi, housed in his temple, to hear prophesies which shaped the history of the Mediterranean world. Apollo was the son of Zeus and the twin brother of Artemis whom the Romans called Diana. The bust is made from the full figure which experts now consider to have been the work of Leochares. The nobility of classical features and the keen lifelike gaze have caused this to be one of the most generally admired of ancient masterpieces. The statue occupies a special niche known as the Gabietto dell' Apollo in the Vatican. This detailed Apollo head is composed of alabaster dust mixed with a durable binding compound, and mounted on a wooden bases for display. This sculpture is created with fine detail and is finished with care by the artisans of Italy's Egregia Workshop.