Borghese Gladiator

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The Borghese Warrior is a reduced plaster cast of an antique marble, which was added to the Borghese collection after its discovery in the early seventeenth century. Since its discovery, the Borghese Warrior has been praised as a prime example of the male nude in motion. It was endlessly copied and adapted by both modern and contemporary artists. Today, the figure is part of the Louvre's collection, acquired by Napoleon. The statue depicts a nude warrior in a vigorous attitude of combat, standing with his left arm extended upwards, holding a shield in hand. His head faces left, while his right arm hangs down behind him, clutching the hilt of his sword. The warrior plunges forward, straining and stretching to parry a blow from above, suggesting a competition against cavalry. His athletic heroism is intensified by his well-defined musculature. For many years, it was mistakenly believed that the figure was a gladiator, despite the fact that the Greeks did not hold gladiatorial events before the shield strap on its left arm revealed him to be a warrior. Our hero defends himself energetically, thrusting his torso forward in a movement that is both defensive and self-protective. Protected behind his shield, he prepares to counterattack, his face turned sharply towards his opponent. The boldness of the composition anchors the warrior in a three-dimensional space, inviting the spectator to view it from all sides. This constant feature can be seen in Hellenistic art. The exaggerated rendering of the musculature and the violence of the figure's movement are organized along a broad diagonal. The pathos in the treatment of the face accentuates the intensity of the warrior's efforts. Unfortunately, his shield is now missing.