This sculpture is after the 3rd century B.C. model known as the Pankratiasts, which is held in the Uffizi’s Museum collection since 1677. Celebrated as a thrilling sport since its inclusion in the ancient Olympic Games of 648 B.C., the pankration combined wrestling with boxing-like blows. The Greeks believed the technique of holds and vigorous punches was created by Theseus in order to defeat the fierce Minotaur of the Labyrinth. Certainly, the strenuous efforts demanded by the sport are finely detailed in the present work, as one athlete pulls back aggressively on the arm of the other, their muscles taut. The artist at the Val d'Osne Foundry in France perfectly captures the masculine athleticism of the movements while creating an atmosphere of tension; the aggressor could be overcome by his opponent at any moment. The wrestlers were discovered in 1583 near Porta S.Giovanni, Rome and then purchased by the Medici family.

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Description:

A French/Italian 19th Century Bronze Group of "The Wrestlers" (Pankratiasts) Inscribed "Musée de Florence" in a black patina and raised on a Verde d'alp marble base. Circa: 1890. (See notes below).

Height: 17 3/4 inches (45.1 cm)
Width: 20 inches (51 cm)
Depth: 13 inches (33 cm)

Ref.: A1444