Bronze sculpture known as the Boxer at Rest, or the Defeated Boxer, dates back to Hellenistic times (330-50 BCE). This statue shows a nude fighter who rests while appearing crestfallen. These leather gloves were applied to the hand of the boxer in boxing matches (Chan et. al., 202). This statue shows boxers of that time sporting a strong upper body and athletic professionalism. Another classical artwork is the Discobolus also known as the “discus thrower” (Edwards, 2019). It dates back to the 5th Century BC. It is arguably the most famous sculpture worldwide, with bronze and marble copies created by Romans.
The Boxer at Rest as well as the Discobolus have many commonalities. Bronze statue of the Discobolus was originally made. This depicts an athlete preparing to launch the discus high into the sky. This young male discus thrower is an athlete. Similar to the Boxer at Rest made of bronze, The ancient world used bronze as a common material to sculpt. It is easy to work with, and can be mixed with other materials (Chan and al., 2002). Bronze sculptures were not able to survive in the past because they could easily be melted during wartime.
Both sculptures have similarities when it comes to expressing athleticism. Each work is nude in order to show the athleticism of athletes. Boxer at rest has well-toned muscles and a well-defined torso. The Discobolus is similarly athletic, although less muscular. The ancient Greeks loved athletes from different disciplines and created nude statues to honor them. These sculptures show the hard work that athletes put into achieving a perfect body for their craft. In ancient Greek, sports were dominated by males (Chan et. al., 202). Discobolus depicts a younger, more mature man while the Boxer at Rest is older.
They also have some similarities. While the sculptures show both athletes, they also display a different message. As a battered boxer, The Boxer at rest is shown. The pain that the boxer endured during his fights and throughout his entire career is evident in the way his genitals look. His body and face express sympathy, humility and pain. In contrast, Discobolus can be seen in a frozen pose about to release his discus. His face despite the challenging role portrays an easygoing demeanor. Both athletes have good bodies, but the Discobolus is proportionate. Boxer at Rest has a larger torso and a smaller body than the Boxer at Rest. It is possible that the differences are due to their respective sports.