After the Antique Italian, early 20th century

with a brass plaquette inscribed: PROPRIETA FAMIGLIA JOHNSON

Johnson family, Milan, 1911;
thence by family descent

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is a layer of minor whitish dirt to the surface throughout, and the bronze would benefit from a light cleaning and waxing by a professional conservator. There are a few splashes of paint to the bronze notably to the side of the base with the inscription plaque, to the proper left shoulder, to both elbows, and to the proper right forearm. There are some whitish circular dirt or paint marks to the base underneath the proper left leg. There is some minor rubbing to the patina on the edge of the front facing side of the base. There is also some slight rubbing to the patina at the nose. The plaque at the base may be a later addition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Among the celebrated statues from antiquity, the Borghese Gladiator is perhaps the most admired for its accurate rendering of the human anatomy. The arresting figure of a sinewy young man leaning forward in an elegant, dynamic pose has historically been identified as a gladiator, an athlete, and an epic hero. Today it is thought that the marble depicts a swordman raising his shield and is a late Hellenistic work in the style of the influential 4th-century BC sculptor Lysippos. The Borghese Gladiator was first recorded in 1611 and soon after entered the Borghese collection. With its prominent placement in the Villa Borghese, the statue’s fame developed rapidly. It was extolled by an illustrious audience that included Gianlorenzo Bernini, whose David was inspired by the Gladiator, and plaster casts were used in the Academies’ life classes in the 18^th century. Within 20 years of its discovery, a bronze cast was made for Charles I, bringing enthusiasm for the model to England. In 1807 the Gladiator was bought by Napoleon and left Rome for Paris, where it remains one of the most treasured antiquities in the Louvre (inv. no. MR 224).

The present bronze was made by the prestigious Milanese Johnson foundry as a showpiece example of their workmanship. It was cast from a plaster (destroyed) taken directly from the original in the Louvre, which is believed to have been with the Johnson foundry by 1911. The bronze is a unique cast which relates closely to the antique original.

RELATED LITERATURE
F. Haskell and N. Penny, Taste and the Antique. The Lure of Classical Sculpture 1500-1900, New Haven and London, 1981, pp. 221-24, no. 43