The “Boxer at Rest”.
A bronze statue of the Hellenistic period (323-146 B.C.E.).
Dated: probably 4th century B.C.E.
Discovered in 1885 in Quirinal Hill, Rome.
To me, it is “one of the fine examples of bronze sculptures of the Hellenistic world” (323-146 B.C.E.):
For 65 years, since the capture of Syracuse (Magna Graecia, Sicily) in 211 B.C.E. to the sack of Corinth (Greece) in 146 B.C.E., Rome received thousands of Greek pieces of art, as visual impression of triumph (booty), but also as a decoration to the city.
It is displayed in the National Museum of Rome / Museu Nazionale Romano – Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Roma
Scholars have long debated the date of the statue, which is most likely between the late fourth and the second century B.C. The sculpture is an exceptional work in bronze from the Hellenistic period (323-31 B.C.) and is of outstanding artistic value.
The statue is remarkable for its extensive use of inlaid copper, especially for the wounds to the boxer's head and the drips of blood on his right arm and leg as well as his lips, nipples, and the straps and stitching of the boxing gloves.
Of particular note is the bruise under his right eye, which was cast with a different alloy to give it a darker color. Extensive cold-working of the statue, especially the hair, was part of the finishing process. The stone base is modern but is probably a close approximation of the ancient base. Originally, the use of stone would have added to the realistic effect so powerfully rendered in the bronze.
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