2-734-701 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Mars, c. 1584-87. Lacking the helmet and armor common to Mars in Roman iconography, this sculpture has also been described as a gladiator. The active, twisting pose of his body is typical of Giambologna’s models, and indicates that the artist intended the statue to be viewed in the round. Collectors prized small bronzes and often kept them in special rooms along with antiquities, coins, shells, and other curiosities. Easy to hold and arrange due to their small size, they were often appreciated through touch as well as sight.