The Ancient Greek Boxer

[Al Kowsky]

One of the great masterpieces of Greek sculpture, The Boxer, was featured in an article authored by Patricia Claus, & posted on Google today. The realism of this bronze & the emotions it exudes are stunning. When ever I see photos of this bronze I'm reminded of the song The Boxer, written by Paul Simon. 

             

                                        https://greekreporter.com/2023/11/07/sculpture-ancient-greek-boxer/

 

 

[DonnaML]

One of my favorites out of everything I saw in Rome 15 years ago. A couple of photos I took myself:

[Al Kowsky]

8 hours ago, DonnaML said:

One of my favorites out of everything I saw in Rome 15 years ago. A couple of photos I took myself:

Thanks for posting, I'm going to copy your 1st photo ☺️. Apparently "The Boxer" was revered in ancient times & thought to have magical properties. As Patricia Claus writes, the bronze was excessively fondled, probably by the patrician class of Romans, who could relate to the pain, fatigue, & defeated feeling of The Boxer.

[Deinomenid]

Rhodes and Sparta still rank in the top 5 all-time Olympic golds for boxing,  behind the US, UK and Cuba.

Alexandria is way up there too.

Yes, Rhodes has  outboxed the Soviet Union in gold medals.

[Ryro]

I've always wanted to see it in person. This was my screen saver for years. I used to train and then coach young men and women boxing.

Here is a coin of what the ancient boxing glove looked like. Just like in modern times, the role of the glove was not to protect the face or lessen the blow. But rather to help protect the hand so that it could do more damage for a longer period of time:

IONIA. Smyrna. Ae (Circa 115-105 BC). Paramonos, magistrate. Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right. Rev: ΠAPAMO ΣΜΥΡΝΑΙ. Hand in caestus; palm to right. Milne 1927, 239. Good very fine. 1.91 g, 14 mm. Numismatik Naumann Feb 2021 

[Al Kowsky]

4 minutes ago, Ryro said:

I've always wanted to see it in person. This was my screen saver for years. I used to train and then coach young men and women boxing.

Here is a coin of what the ancient boxing glove looked like. Just like in modern times, the role of the glove was not to protect the face or lessen the blow. But rather to help protect the hand so that it could do more damage for a longer period of time:

IONIA. Smyrna. Ae (Circa 115-105 BC). Paramonos, magistrate. Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right. Rev: ΠAPAMO ΣΜΥΡΝΑΙ. Hand in caestus; palm to right. Milne 1927, 239. Good very fine. 1.91 g, 14 mm. Numismatik Naumann Feb 2021 

Boxing has always been my favorite sport, & today I enjoy all combat sports. I got my first set of boxing gloves at 8 years old as did my twin brother Henry, because the "Old Man" got tired of hearing the constant bickering between us. I was small & skinny but athletic, & Henry was overweight & didn't like sports. When we squared-off in the basement I could double jab poor Henry before he could react, & after a couple of minutes of this he would charge me like an angry rhino 😬 & we end up on the floor wrestling 😂. This routine went on for a couple of years until Henry refused to fight anymore.

[Al Kowsky]

36 minutes ago, Deinomenid said:

Rhodes and Sparta still rank in the top 5 all-time Olympic golds for boxing,  behind the US, UK and Cuba.

Alexandria is way up there too.

Yes, Rhodes has  outboxed the Soviet Union in gold medals.

 

Boxing has an impressive history in the US, going as far back as the bare knuckle days ☺️. I used to watch the Friday night fights on our black & white TV with the "old man" in the 50s & 60s. They were sponsored the Gillette Razor Co. in those days.

[ominus1]

...this is why the Greeks are standard setters for art, that all who come after compare too..beautiful piece of work indeed...

[DonnaML]

Question: considering that the statue was found in Rome, how is it known that it's Greek rather than Roman? Is that just an assumption based on its quality?

[Al Kowsky]

5 hours ago, DonnaML said:

Question: considering that the statue was found in Rome, how is it known that it's Greek rather than Roman? Is that just an assumption based on its quality?

At one time the Greek boxer was dated much earlier than the article would suggest, & often compared to the head of a boxer from the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia, dated to 330 BC.

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Al Kowsky
correction

[ominus1]

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

Question: considering that the statue was found in Rome, how is it known that it's Greek rather than Roman? Is that just an assumption based on its quality?

..it might be a copy,  idk....but we all know that the Romans themselves loved Greek Art as much as we..that's a given...:)

[Deinomenid]

lt's a stunning statue up there (to my  untrained eye) with the Jockey of Artemesion and the Motya Charioteer for sporting  statues of the ~time.

@Al Kowsky I thought you might  like this  3D model. Takes a few seconds to load  but then you  can really see it.

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/the-boxer-2016-1ce0340711854842822e4bf0146b1e1a

 

 

 

[Al Kowsky]

3 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

lt's a stunning statue up there (to my  untrained eye) with the Jockey of Artemesion and the Motya Charioteer for sporting  statues of the ~time.

@Al Kowsky I thought you might  like this  3D model. Takes a few seconds to load  but then you  can really see it.

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/the-boxer-2016-1ce0340711854842822e4bf0146b1e1a

 

 

 

I love it 😍! The detail is amazing 😃, thanks for posting.