Phidias was an Athenian sculptor of the second half of the 5th century BC, a central figure of the so-called early Classical period in Greek art. He lived in the age of Pericles, who entrusted him with supervising the rebuilding of the Acropolis in Athens after the destruction caused by the Persians. Although no original work by him survives with certainty, his name is tied to the definition of classical sculpture, and much of what we know of his output comes from ancient descriptions and Roman copies.
Little is known about his life. The ancient writers who mention him, such as Pliny, Plutarch and Pausanias, wrote centuries after his death. He is estimated to have been born around 500 BC, although the exact date is unknown. Pliny says he was also trained as a painter, and his sculpture master is generally thought to have been Ageladas of Argos, though Hegias is also named. His artistic activity seems to begin around 470 BC.
His most famous works include the chryselephantine statue of Athena Parthenos, made of wood covered with gold and ivory, which was housed in the Parthenon around 438 BC. Much of his fame also rests on the statue of Zeus at Olympia, counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. He is also credited with the Athena Promachos, a huge bronze figure visible from the sea, and the Athena Lemnia. He worked in gold, ivory, bronze, marble and wood, and is regarded as the first Greek sculptor known for colossal statues.
His relationship with Pericles ended badly. He was accused of keeping some of the gold meant for the statue of Athena and of including his own portrait and that of Pericles on the goddess's shield. The sources disagree about his end. According to Plutarch, he died in prison in Athens. Another tradition places him in exile in Elis, where he probably died after a new accusation linked to the statue of Zeus. Dates for his death range from 432 to 420 BC.
His legacy lies in the way he gave form to the divine. Together with Myron and Polyclitus, he reshaped the archaic canon of proportions and gave sculpture a naturalistic turn without losing a moral dimension. His pupils, such as Alcamenes, Colotes and Agoracritus, carried this tradition forward. Today most historians regard him as one of the greatest sculptors of ancient Greece.