The Boxer of Quirinal

Introduction

Almost always, when we look at Greek sculptures, they are copies of Roman originals. These copies have are made of marble unlike the originals that had been sculpted out of bronze. Very rare is it that original Greek sculptures are found. One such original was the ‘Boxer of Quirinal’, sometimes simply termed as ‘The Boxer’. This sculpture dates back to the Greek Hellenistic period (300’s B.C). Hellenistic refers to the period just after the rule of Alexander the Great and typically it is considered as the last phase of ancient Greek art. The sculpture was discovered on the Quirinal Hill of Rome in 1885 near the Baths of Constantine. It was assumed for a long time that the sculpture was buried in antiquity with the Hellenistic prince in order to protect him.

The sculpture is a captivating masterpiece and is different from the ideal; athletic young figured sculptures of that time. This, however, does not in any way mean that it does not represent the skill and beauty in work that other sculptures also possessed. Due to lack of history the artist of this great piece remains unknown but the details in the statue showcase true talent from that era.

A closer look at the sculpture

The overall sculpture:

The statue is of a boxer who is seated with his arms placed on his knees. His head is turned towards the right with a slight raise portraying an open mouth. He is completely naked wearing only boxing gloves and some sort of athletic suspender tying up the foreskin of his penis, which was not only protective, but also added an element of decorum. His gloves are of an ancient Greek type with strips of leather attached to the rings around his knuckles along with woolen paddings. The sculpture in itself is somewhat over life si...

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... of museums around the city were created- Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps and Crypta Balbi. The museums display celebrated masterpieces of art and one of them is the Boxer at Rest. Occasionally the Boxer is loaned out to other Museums around the world or is showcased in many exhibitions. Recently it was loaned out to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Several of the answers regarding this particular sculpture remain unanswered today. There are so many modern interpretations as to what the statue signifies. Also, because it has existed for so long, it is possible that interpretations were many in the ancient times too. For an ancient viewer, the statue could have had political messages, commemorative interpretations or just aesthetic reasons. Whatever it was, until we find any further information on it, the cause of bewilderment of the boxers face will be ours too.