Anonymous, Victorious athlete with laurel branch
, around 1930. Dark patinated bronze on a rectangular plinth. 31.5 cm (height) x 14 cm (width) x 13 cm (depth), weight 1.65 kg.
- Left thumb missing, patina somewhat rubbed and slightly stained, otherwise in good condition for its age
- The New Hero -
In the course of the physical culture that developed in the 19th century and the popular sports that evolved from it, the Olympic Games were re-established in 1894, with athletics - in keeping with the ancient tradition - as the supreme discipline. In this context, the victorious athlete in the painting became the new hero. Still striding forward, as if crossing the finish line like a marathon runner, the young man comes to a stop and holds up the laurel branch of victory. In keeping with antiquity, the athlete is naked except for his narrow belt. However, the face and hairstyle are deliberately contemporary, making it clear that the ideals of Roman antiquity were to be carried into the present through.
