Ares

Son of Zeus and Hera, Ares is not merely the Greek god of war; he is above all the god of the most violent aspects of conflict, epitomised by a thirst for blood—indeed, the most cruel god of all Olympus. In Carlo Zoli’s sculpture, he takes form as a body contracted upon itself; armed with a spear, and adorned with a red enamelled helmet and shield finished in gold, the warrior has fiery red eyes, a sign of his wrath that spills over onto others, manifesting in every thought and action. Yet, here he seems to flounder in a sea of death. We see him ensnared in a cube of resin, as if it were thick, congealed blood—a mire that prevents him from advancing. This is fitting, as despite being a protagonist in war, Ares rarely emerges victorious and more often, when faced with difficulty, retreats to safety or is neutralised by heroes, gods, or demigods. The artist thus captures the essence of his presumptuous, evil, and arrogant nature—dark facets of the human condition. Although feeling a strong aversion towards him, Zoli chose Ares as his subject because he sees a parallel in certain dynamics of our time, especially in those who profess goodness and benevolence but in reality behave in the worst possible manner, much like Ares.