{"product_id":"9781509568130","title":"The Diver of Paestum: Youth, Eros, and the Sea in Ancient Greece","description":"Since its discovery in 1968, the painting of a diver on a tomb in Paestum, originally the Greek colony of Poseidonia in southern Italy, has left viewers spellbound. It depicts a beautiful and enigmatic scene: a young man dives headfirst into the water from a cliff or tower. The image is joined by others from the same tomb depicting a banquet of young people drinking wine, playing games and enjoying music. Understanding this painting is often seen as a key to unlocking some of the mysteries of ancient Greek culture – and therein lies the puzzle. What is the meaning of the diver? Is it, as many have argued, a metaphorical representation of the passage from life to a world beyond?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The eminent art historian Tonio Hölscher rejects this view, arguing that there is nothing symbolic or metaphorical about the painting: the scenes celebrate the real lives of the Greek colonists of the early 5th century BC. The painting captures a young man’s spirited personality and pursuits during a life which may have been short, but was lived to the full. In a groundbreaking reversal of how the painting is typically interpreted, this book opens a window onto the world of Ancient Greece and its culture of athleticism, eroticism, love for nature and enjoyment of the sea. A joyful ode to youth, it is above all a unique portrait of the zest for life in Antiquity.","brand":"Polity Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43057466867773,"sku":"9781509568130","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0603\/0838\/9949\/files\/9781509568130_p0.jpg?v=1774345548","url":"https:\/\/www.tatteredcover.com\/products\/9781509568130","provider":"Tattered Cover","version":"1.0","type":"link"}