Mid 19th Century Bronze Borghese Gladiator

Description

The present bronze is based on an ancient Greco-Roman marble sculpture discovered in the ruins of Nero’s palace on the … more The present bronze is based on an ancient Greco-Roman marble sculpture discovered in the ruins of Nero’s palace on the outskirts of Rome at the beginning of the 17th century. The sculpture soon made its way to Rome, ending up in the collection of the Borghese family. It was bought by Napoleon in 1807 and brought to France, where it now resides in the Louvre. Though christened a ‘gladiator’, it is now generally agreed by art historians that the sculpture represents a warrior in combat.

Due to the particularly large marble base, the sculpture is quite heavy—19.8lbs less