Borghese Warrior or Gladiator
Catalogue Image
2015-00-00
Name/Title
Borghese Warrior or GladiatorEntry/Object ID
85R0548Description
Nude figure of a warrior, plunging forward, left arm extended upwards with remains of shield on forearm. Head facing left, right arm down and behind, hilt of sword in right hand. Muscles and tendons are overly defined. Tree trunk attached to right leg for support, Greek inscription to the inside section of the trunk.Type of Sculpture
StatueArtwork Details
Medium
PlasterContext
Shield and sword are missing. Hyperrealistic exaggeration of the male figure's structure. Discovered at Nettuno, Italy in 1611 CE, acquired into the Borghese Collection in 1613 CE, and later purchased by Napoleon I in 1807 CE. Now in the Louvre, Paris. It has been suggested that this was a sculpture of a warrior who distinguished himself as valiant in some form rather than a gladiator, as gladiators were not often depicted in statues. Some possible candidates include Ajax outside of Troy or Leonidas the Spartan. Regardless of the identity of the man, the sculpture represents a decent naturalistic art style. The trunk of the tree supporting the warrior/gladiator is signed the sculptor Agasias of Ephesos.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Agasias son of Dositheos of EphesusRole
SculptorDate made
99 BCE - 75 BCETime Period
HellenisticEthnography
Culture/Tribe
Greek - Hellenistic