Creugas (Boxer) after Antonio Canova

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The sculpture represents Creugas of Durres, a boxer, and is made after Antonio Canova's sculptures of pugilists. In the original duo, two evenly matched boxers, Creugas of Durres and Damoxenos of Syracuse, met during the Nemean Games, where they fought for hours without a decision. When there was no foreseeable end, both men agreed to take a single, undefended blow from each other. Creugas delivered the first punch, striking Damoxenos on the head. Damoxenos countered by striking Creugas on the side and tearing out his intestines. The Argives disqualified Damoxenos for killing his opponent, and Creugas was posthumously declared the winner. In 1795, Canova began working on preparatory drawings of these subjects for sculptures. A year later, in 1796, both models were ready. In 1800, Canova started creating the marble statue of Creugas, which he completed in 1801. In 1802, the two statues, along with Perseus, were purchased by Pope Pius VII. Three years later, Canova developed a second model for Damoxenos. The Pope bought these statues to replenish the Vatican Museums that suffered heavy losses during the French occupation. Many masterpieces from the Vatican Collection had been taken to France in 1798. Pius VII's act of purchasing these statues was very important at the time, as it proudly reaffirmed a policy of national prerogatives despite the robbery of those treasures linked to Rome. These pieces are expected to be displayed again in the Octagonal Courtyard.