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THBRare Roman Bronze Nude Male Boxer, Spiked Caestus
About Seller
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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About Auction
LiveNov 10, 2022
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Nautical, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
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- Lot Description
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. A rare statuette of a nearly nude boxer shown in stride as though about to deliver a powerful punch as he grasps a spiked caestus or cestus - a metal boxing glove with sharp thongs - in his right hand as the leather straps of his himantes protect his arms. The ancient fighter boasts an athletic build with muscular limbs and a chiseled abdomen above a delineated phallus. Gazing forth from huge, bulging eyes, his beardless visage displays a round nose, full lips, and prominent indentations in his temples and forehead. His incised coiffure is pulled back into a trisected top bun, above sizable ears. Size: 2" W x 3.3" H (5.1 cm x 8.4 cm); 4.3" H (10.9 cm) on included custom stand.
According to History Professor Byron J. Nakamura in "The Cambridge Companion to Boxing": "During the imperial period in the first century ad, Roman boxing stood alongside the gladiator matches and arena beast hunts that emphasized Rome's power and dominance over man and nature. Rome's first emperor, Augustus, was an avid follower of boxing and enjoyed contests between Roman and Greek pugilists. In ad 14 Tiberius, Augustus' successor, introduced in his honor the first set of regularly held celebratory games, in Naples, called the Ludi Augustales.15 In Greece, boxing was still firmly entrenched in the sacred Panhellenic games, but their function had turned from the celebration of the polis itself to the aggrandizement of Roman rulers. Ironically, venues for games increased under Roman emperors who introduced Greek-style events into the city of Rome itself, including the Neronian games and the Emperor Domitian's Capitoline games. (Nakamura, Byron J. "Boxing in the Ancient World." In "The Cambridge Companion to Boxing," edited by Gerald Early, 22-33. Cambridge Companions to Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019.)
See a larger example of a caestus like the one carried by this figure at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2001.219.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#137625Missing feet and left forearm. Small chip to chin and some expected nicks and abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with impressive preservation of detail and lovely green patina.Condition
- Shipping Info
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Artemis Gallery will no longer be able to offer in-house shipping for most international orders, as well as all oversized orders, including most paintings. These items are clearly marked in the listing as “3rd Party Shipping Required” in the listing. We have a list of recommended third party shippers to assist you in shipping to and from, and would be happy to assist you in working with them. We require a written authorization from the client to release property to any third party. You may fax a Shipping Release Form to 303-828-3235 or email your authorization to kristen@artemisgallery.com. Please note the all property must be removed from our premises within seven (7) business days following the last day of the auction.
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