Bronze Runners

Creator

• Unknown

Files

Publisher

Saskia, Ltd., Cultural Documentation

Publication Date

1966

Time Period

1st century BCE replica of an original from late 4th or early 3rd century BCE

Abstract

Front center view of the pair

Keywords

Greek Classical period, Sculpture (Visual works), Statues, Bronze, Roman copy, Grand tours, Peristyles (Roman courtyards)

Alt Text

Two bronze statues of muscular male figures standing on rectangular bases, viewed from different angles. The statues are displayed against a neutral background with informational panels nearby.

Extent

1 color photograph

Geographic Location

Italy; Herculaneum (Extinct city); Villa of the Papyri (Herculaneum)

Rights

This material is licensed by USF Libraries for the research and teaching needs of USF students, staff, and faculty only. See: https://lib.usf.edu/collections-and-discovery/collection-management/user-terms/

Access Restrictions

Only thumbnail images and descriptive information are available to non-USF users. Full access to this collection is available only to authorized users on the USF network on campus or via VPN.

Media Type

Color photographs

Format

Digital Only

Note

These sculptures are an identical pair of Roman bronze copies from the 1st century BCE modeled after prior Hellenistic Greek originals often associated with the school of Lysippos. The pair were originally discovered in the 1754 in the peristyle of the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum. Depicted are two young, nude athletes leaning forward in a tense starting or stopping pose, indicating a race. Their inlaid eyes are made of bone and stone. They were initially believed to portray wrestlers and were placed facing each other as a result, but after additional studies came out, it was determined they were runners. In ancient Greece, runners competed in the prestigious stadium race during the Olympic Games, with the winners having the honor of naming the Olympiad and lighting the sacred flame. Because the "Runners" captured the ultimate classical aesthetic with their intense, lifelike poses and distinct bone-and-stone eye inlays, they became some of the most sought-after subjects for Grand Tour souvenirs. This object is currently housed at the National Archeological Museum of Naples, Italy.

Identifier

A01-JGC0666

Recommended Citation

Unknown, "Bronze Runners" (1966). Art and Art History Collection (Saskia). 574.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/saskia/574