When does the tour take place?

The tour begins on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 11:15 AM and is expected to end around 12:00 PM.

Where is the event taking place?

The venue is the Archaeological Institute and the Collection of Plaster Casts at Nikolausberger Weg 15 in 37073 Göttingen. The tour will take place on the first floor.

What is the cost of participation?

Participation in the tour is free.

Is prior registration required?

No prior registration is required for this tour.

What works will be presented?

The focus will be on the famous Goose Strangler by Boethus. Additionally, other life-like representations of children in Greek art from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC will be showcased.

Discover Hellenistic Children Sculpture between Goose Fight, Humor, and Ancient Movement

Name: Goose Fight and Baby Fat: Children in Hellenistic Sculpture
Start: 2026-11-08T11:15:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-08T12:00:00+01:00
Location: Archäologisches Institut und Sammlung der Gipsabgüsse

When Children Come to Life in Marble and Plaster

A fighting child, a giant goose, and the famous goose strangler by Boethus are the focal points of this public tour through the collection of plaster casts of ancient sculptures in Göttingen. On Sunday, November 8, 2026, Dr. Julius Roch will provide a vivid approach to Hellenistic sculpture from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.

Life-Likeness as an Art Historical Discovery

Hellenistic art moved away from idealized body images and turned more towards individual, everyday, and emotional expressions. Representations of children no longer appear merely as smaller adults, but with their own proportions, movements, and gestures. The tour makes this art historical development comprehensible through selected sculptures.

The Goose Strangler: Movement, Tension, and Humor

At the center is the Goose Strangler, a work that Pliny the Elder already found remarkable. The depiction of a child in physical struggle with a goose combines dynamic composition, precise observation, and a surprisingly humorous scene. In the examination of the work, body posture, muscle tension, material effects, and the dramatic spatial impact of the sculpture become visible.

The Collection as a Place of Cultural Education

The collection of plaster casts of ancient sculptures is one of the oldest university casting collections in the world and includes more than 2,100 objects. Plaster casts allow for direct comparison of significant works of Greek and Roman art and vividly illustrate central questions of Classical Archaeology: How is an ideal image created? How does the representation of childhood change? What roles do movement, affect, and everyday life play in Hellenistic art?

A Concentrated Art Experience on Sunday

The 45-minute tour takes place on the first floor of the Archaeological Institute. The exhibition atmosphere combines scientific precision with immediate aesthetic experience: forms, gestures, and bodies appear up close and invite a conscious viewing of the work. Participation is possible without prior registration.

The audience can expect an informed introduction to Hellenistic sculpture, a lively look at ancient representations of children, and a special art experience between archaeology, myth, and everyday observation. Anyone who wants to experience ancient sculpture not just as an ideal, but as moving and human art, should definitely attend this tour in Göttingen live.