Collector piece53.5 cm / 21 inBase 25 × 20 cmGold gloves
The essentials: in March 1885 a building site on Rome's Quirinal Hill turned up a Greek bronze 128 cm / 50 in tall — a seated boxer, hands still wrapped. This sculpture carries the same idea into the present: a matt white bearded bust throwing a straight left, gloves in mirror gold. 53.5 cm / 21 in tall with a 33 cm / 13 in arm reach, so plan for depth, not just height. Black base 25 × 20 cm / 9.8 × 7.9 in. €799, free insured shipping.
The Boxer of the Quirinal
In March 1885, on the south slope of the Quirinal, workmen digging the foundations of a theatre struck a Hellenistic bronze 128 cm / 50 in tall, five and a half metres down: a boxer seated after the fight, hands bound in leather thongs. The archaeologist Rodolfo Lanciani, who was running the dig, wrote that nothing in his career had made an impression like it.
The Boxer at Rest has been on show at the Palazzo Massimo ever since. This sculpture takes up its idea: an antique body, and gloves.
What you get
A male bust cut below the hips, bearded head with tight curls in the manner of Greek statuary, body in matt white with a marble look. The left arm throws a straight punch, the right stays tucked at the chin; both hands are gloved in mirror gold. It stands on a rectangular black lacquered base of 25 × 20 × 6 cm / 9.8 × 7.9 × 2.4 in.
What the photograph will not tell you is the footprint. The extended arm carries the piece 33 cm / 13 in forward, more than a standard bookshelf allows. The white is matt and absorbs light; the gloves are polished and throw it back. On a console lit from the side, the gloves are what the eye finds first, at 5 m / 16 ft as at 1 m / 3 ft.
Technical specifications
Buying tip: point the extended arm into the room, never across a walkway. With 33 cm / 13 in of reach, the glove sits at a child's shoulder height on a low console. Side light cuts the muscles of the torso; front light flattens them.
Furniture, depth and clearance
Three figures decide the install: the 25 × 20 cm / 9.8 × 7.9 in base, the 53.5 cm / 21 in height and the 33 cm / 13 in arm reach. On a console 40 cm / 16 in deep the piece stands, but the glove overhangs; from 45 cm / 18 in everything stays within the top. Allow 60 cm / 24 in of clearance above so the head clears a higher shelf.
You may also like
- Mike Tyson bust — a named fighter and his facial tattoo, if you want a portrait rather than an antique-style bust.
- Large boxer statue — 28.5 cm / 11.2 in in gold or copper, if you want a full standing figure in a smaller footprint.
- Rocky Balboa statue — 30.5 cm / 12 in in a bronze finish, boxed, if you want a Rocky Balboa style collector piece.
The full range sits in the boxing belts and trophies collection.
Frequently asked questions
What are the exact dimensions?
53.5 cm / 21 in overall including the base, 33 cm / 13 in deep at the extended arm, base 25 × 20 cm / 9.8 × 7.9 in and 6 cm / 2.4 in thick. Allow a console at least 45 cm / 18 in deep.
What is it made of?
Plaster and resin, matt white with a marble look, gloves in mirror gold. Clean with a dry microfibre cloth.
What is the Boxer at Rest of the Quirinal?
A 128 cm / 50 in Greek bronze of a boxer seated after a fight, hands bound in leather thongs, found in Rome in March 1885 during the digging of theatre foundations. It is displayed at the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.
Does it work in an office?
Yes, provided you have the depth: the extended arm carries the piece 33 cm / 13 in forward. On a desk or credenza, point the arm into the room.
How is a piece this size shipped?
By custom insured crating with reinforced packing, at our expense. Email tracking seven days a week.
