bronze sculpture after the borghese gladiator

Bronze sculpture after the Borghese Gladiator

Bronze sculpture with brown patina, inspired by the "Borghese Gladiator." The original is an antique statue in marble, depicting a naked man slightly larger than life (it measures 1.69 meters), apparently a soldier fighting a jumper on the left. Strongly tilted forward, he looks up and protects itself by covering up his shield, attached to the left arm. The left leg is stretched back in line with the axis of the torso, only the toes resting on the ground. Right leg bent supports the body weight, the balance of the statue being provided by a prop in the shape of tree trunk attached to the top of the right thigh. This part is not included in the bronze model, but the tension of the body and muscles is highly similar to the original. The statue was discovered in a fragmentary state at Nettuno in 1609 in the ruins of the villa of Emperor Nero. It was immediately bought by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who had restored it in 1611: fourteen major pieces discovered are raised together, the restorer restores the missing right arm in the rear extension of the silhouette and the right ear and sex . The statue is then identified as a representation of Gladiator, she joined the rest of the collections of Cardinal Borghese at the casino. She became known throughout Europe as the "Borghese Gladiator", raising the number of copies and casts. The German scholar Winckelmann was the first to reject the identification of the statue as that of a Gladiator: indeed, the Greeks did not know the shows of gladiators. It then recognizes the Gladiator as a warrior. In 1807, Prince Camillo Borghese, beset by financial difficulties, decided to part with some of the family collections. He makes contact with English collectors, but his brother in law Napoleon 1st who ultimately acquired it, and entered the collections of the Louvre Museum.
Circa :1850
Dim: W: 6,3 in - D: 15,7in - H: 19,7in.
Dim: L:16cm, P:40cm, H:50cm.
Bibliography:

Antiques.co.uk Ref: XPU5YCYG

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