alb3672542

CHARLES HENRY NIEHAUS. Caestus

Caestus. Artist: Charles Henry Niehaus (American, Cincinnati, Ohio 1855-1935 Grantwood, New Jersey). Dimensions: 35 1/4 x 15 x 15 in. (89.5 x 38.1 x 38.1 cm). Date: 1883-85; cast 1901.
The Munich-trained Niehaus modeled Caestus in Rome, combining the inspiration of ancient sculpture with his penchant for anatomical realism. The work depicts a rigidly posed athlete preparing for a fight by binding leather straps in a crisscross pattern around his forearms. This arrangement of straps, known as a caestus, was the ancient Roman equivalent of the modern day boxing glove. Lead or iron weights were often secured over the knuckles to increase the impact of the blows.

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Author: CHARLES HENRY NIEHAUS (1855-1935)

Title: Caestus

Caption: Caestus. Artist: Charles Henry Niehaus (American, Cincinnati, Ohio 1855-1935 Grantwood, New Jersey). Dimensions: 35 1/4 x 15 x 15 in. (89.5 x 38.1 x 38.1 cm). Date: 1883-85; cast 1901. The Munich-trained Niehaus modeled Caestus in Rome, combining the inspiration of ancient sculpture with his penchant for anatomical realism. The work depicts a rigidly posed athlete preparing for a fight by binding leather straps in a crisscross pattern around his forearms. This arrangement of straps, known as a caestus, was the ancient Roman equivalent of the modern day boxing glove. Lead or iron weights were often secured over the knuckles to increase the impact of the blows.

Technique/material: BRONZE

Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Credit: Album

Image size: 1830 × 3378 px | 17.7 MB

Print size: 15.5 × 28.6 cm | 720.5 × 1329.9 in (300 dpi)

Keywords: AMERICAN PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE • ARTFORM: BRONZEWORK • BRONCE • BRONZE BRASS • BRONZE • BRONZES • CHARLES HENRY NIEHAUS • COPPER ALLOY • METAL • METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, USA • NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA • SCULPTURE • UNITED STATES