Rare Pair of Grand Tour Neapolitan bronze Runners

Good quality, rare pair of 19th century Neapolitan Grand Tour patinated bronzes of the Boy Runners or Athletes after the Roman originals in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. The original pair of identical life size bronzes were discovered in the 1750s in the garden of the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum. They were initially believed to portray two wrestlers and because of this they were placed facing each other. Additional studies came to the conclusion that they depicted runners. They are currently positioned as if they were athletes taking part in a race. Lovely examples of a rare pair. Italy, Naples, circa 1880.

H 23cm x W 8cm x D 18cm

SOLD