Italian Grand Tour style bronze, one of the two Runners from the Villa Des Papyri (Herculaneum Pomeii), 34cm high overall, c. 1880

The statues of runners or wrestlers, found during excavations at the Villa of the Papyri in 1754, represent the Roman fascination with athleticism. While the Greeks were famous for their Olympic Games, the Romans also held athletic competitions and valued physical strength, skill, and endurance. Statues of runners are symbolic of these values and were often placed in prominent locations within the homes of the wealthy to display their status and taste.