K5164
Last night I went to see the wrestlers. God! I have seldom seen anything so lovely, two athletic types, large shoulders, taut, big necks like bulls, small in the build with firm thighs. (Gaudier-Brzeska in a letter of 3 Dec 1912).
Gaudier-Brzeska was born in France and settled in London in 1910. Despite a mere four years of creative work he is now regarded as one of the leading sculptors of the pre-war years. He was interested in the physicality of the human body, and how it could move. The Wrestler belongs to a series of works, including sketches, prints and reliefs he made of wrestlers at bouts.
Summary
: K5164
: Fine Art
: sculpture
: The Wrestler
: GAUDIER-BRZESKA, Henri
: a bronze figure of a standing wrestler; this sculpture belongs to a series of works, including sketches, prints and reliefs, which the artist made of wrestlers at bouts; in a letter of 3 December, 1912, the artist states, "Last night I went to see the wrestlers. God! I have seldom seen anything so lovely, two athletic types, large shoulders, taut, big necks like bulls, small in the build with firm thighs."; the original plaster cast for this work was made in the winter of 1912-13, and this bronze casting was one of three made about 1945
Current Location
On Display at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Winterstoke (Front) Hall
: circa 1945
: 1912-1913: Purchased with the assistance of the Victoria & Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund, the Friends of Bristol Art Gallery and the Wills Fund, 1984.