CA0359 Pair of Grand Tour Neapolitan bronze Runners by Sommer

Good quality, rare pair of 19th century Neapolitan Grand Tour patinated bronzes of the Boy Runners or Athletes signed Sommer Napoli for the Sommer Foundry, Naples. After the life size Roman originals in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, 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 in the museum as if they were athletes taking part in a race. Often assumed to be identical there are very subtle differences in the position of the runners' heads and arms. Italy, Naples, circa 1880.

H 17.5 cm x W 5cm x D 8cm