Arrontino

myminifactory

The Flaying of Marsyas figure from Italy, known as The Arrotino or Scythian, is believed to be a Hellenistic-Roman sculpture created by the Pergamene school of artists. It depicts a man in a crouched position sharpening a knife on a whetstone. This ancient sculpture was first unearthed during the early sixteenth century and later became part of Agostino Chigi's collection at his villa in Trastevere, which would eventually be renamed Villa Farnesina. It then passed into the possession of Paolantonio Soderini, who inherited it from his brother Monsignor Francesco Soderini. Paolantonio noted in a 1561 letter that one of his workers, known as "il mio villano," had taken the sculpture and later sold it to Cardinal Ferdinando de' Medici. It was subsequently moved to the Villa Medici, where it remained until being transferred to the Medici collections in Florence during the eighteenth century. This remarkable piece is part of the Scan The World project, a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures and artworks from around the globe. The project aims to make these treasures accessible for free to the public and relies on community contributions. If you have interesting items that you'd like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help.