Description:

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. An elegant and simple bronze strigil with a wide, scooped blade that curves at a gentle right angle to a flattened handle that folds over and meets the base of the scoop. On the handle are three small, stamped symbols. Size: 8.85" L x 1.4" W x 7.45" H (22.5 cm x 3.6 cm x 18.9 cm); 8.5" H (21.6 cm) on included custom stand.

The strigil was a scraper used in combination with olive oil and sand or pumice to exfoliate the skin after exercising or bathing. It was an essential piece of equipment for the Greek and Roman athlete, and as such came to symbolize athleticism itself. Greek vases abound with depictions of youthful athletes using strigils in the gymnasium. The celebrated sculpture by Lysippos, the Apoxyomenos of ca. 350 to 325 BCE, depicted a nude athlete scraping himself off with a strigil. The Romans adopted the strigil not only among the athletes in the paelestra but also among the patrons of the public baths.

Provenance: private Carlton Collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired between 1965 and 1980

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#127867

  • Condition: Repaired just below handle, with dark green, smooth patina over surface. Symbols are visible but difficult to make out.

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October 26, 2017 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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