Description:

Greece / Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A strigil tool shaped from a leaded-bronze sheet into a curved tool with a slightly concave scoop to use for scraping away access oil after application to the skin. The handle is formed by folding the bronze terminal end back on itself. Nice encrusted patina and mineral deposits across the surface. In the Classical World, athletes would apply olive oil and sand to their bodies and scrape the skin's surface with a strigil to exfoliate and clean themselves. It was an essential piece of equipment for the typical Greek and Roman athlete, and as such came to symbolize not only health but athleticism itself. Size: 7.25" L x 1" W (18.4 cm x 2.5 cm); 8" H (20.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010; ex-Richard B. collection, Park Avenue, New York, USA, acquired from Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc, sale 4082, lot 48, February 17, 1978

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#182327

  • Condition: Stabilizing adhesive added to fissure across handle above the scoop. Old loss to the tip of the handle. Surface wear commensurate with age, and rich patina. Nice mineral and earthen encrustations throughout.

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November 16, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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