Su un tipo statuario di età ellenistica (cd. Niobide Louvre-Napoli) e lo scultore Nikeratos di Atene

The paper analyzes the so-called Niobide Louvre-Naples. Starting from the problems of the most recent acquisition in the field of the Roman age copystic production (succes of the type, copystic tradition, archaeological analysis of each single item, as well as products of an artistic industry following precise rules of production), the author investigates also various aspects of the traditional Kopienkritik (reconstruction, dating and attribution of the archetype; identification of the subject). In particular, strong connections with an other female statue, the Hygieia Conservatori-Berlin type, whose archetype was recently identified as a creation by Nikeratos from Athens, now pave the way for new suggestions of identification of the subject. Due to the partiality of the data available it is not possibleto answer all questions raised, but the statuary type of the so-called Niobide Louvre-Naples appears useful to illustrate a methodological approach with renewed awareness of the limits and possible prospects.