Amazing Neoclassical Carved Marble Antique Grand Tour Nude Male Statue Sculpture Home Decor

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This remarkable serpentine marble sculpture, dating to circa 1880, is a masterful rendering of The Wrestlers, a celebrated composition tracing … Read more This remarkable serpentine marble sculpture, dating to circa 1880, is a masterful rendering of The Wrestlers, a celebrated composition tracing its origins to ancient Greece. The original bronze, believed to have been created in the 3rd Century BCE, is lost to history — yet its legacy survives through Roman copies and, most notably, the famous marble version now housed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Also known as The Pancrastinae, this dynamic scene captures two athletes engaged in pankration, a form of ancient Greek freestyle wrestling that combined techniques from both boxing and wrestling — a brutal, yet revered event in classical athletic competition. This 19th-century example pays faithful homage to the vigor and realism of the classical form, preserving the intense physicality and fluidity of the original composition.

Carved from richly variegated serpentine marble, the sculpture’s deep green hues are flecked with lighter, mottled patterns that lend remarkable texture and visual depth to the figures’ sinewy forms. The natural sheen of the polished stone accentuates the muscular tension and anatomical precision, giving the piece a lifelike, almost kinetic quality as light dances across its surface.

Resting atop a substantial matching serpentine marble plinth, this sculpture makes a commanding decorative statement. Whether placed in a study, library, office, or as a focal point in a refined living space, it carries with it the gravitas of antiquity and the elegance of 19th-century craftsmanship.

Measures 12.5 inches high, 10.5 inches wide and 6 inches deep. Weighs 25 pounds. Good antique condition, there are several large chips/losses to base. There are arms missing to each figure (we do not know if this was intentional or not). A large section underneath the figures appears to be missing. Please review the photos for further condition assessment.

An exceptional decorative object for the discerning collector or anyone drawn to the enduring power of classical art. See less