Rome via Brooklyn

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Prompt: Focus your post on just one museum object or at most two (say a compare/contrast).  What about it reminded you of things we’ve seen earlier on the trip and why? Does it speak to any of the following themes: militarism, the role of women, the role of religion, social hierarchies, other themes.

“One of Italy’s great national collections, the National Roman Museum…” (Claridge 2010, 481) I can see why! There were lots of different collections from antiquity present in the Museum. To say it was overwhelming would be an understatement. I really liked how the museum revolved around an open concept! 

The boxer is probably one of my favorite statues that I have seen–second only to Marcus Aurelius–throughout my experience in Rome. I have seen this statue before online and on social media but never in person. I thought it was so cool, but not enough to actually do any research on it. Fast forward to my first semester in college and in Prof. Sowers’ class this statue shows up. I know that it is famous and it gives off “eerie” vibes, but I had no idea why. The boxer is all bruised up and hurt. He is in a defeated position, yet there is something stoic about him. His face is dreadful while his mouth hangs open and his eyes look up into nothingness. The boxer does the 1000 yard stare.

Why does a defeated boxer get such a statue? Is it because the artist wanted to show that it is okay to lose? Did the artist want to convey the emotions that come with defeat? I find this whole statue very pleasant. Being able to see something in person after having seen it–the statue in this case–online and in a classroom is nothing short of amazing!!

This statue reminds me of the Hercules statue that we were all blessed to see. There is something uncanny about both of them. They both look very powerful, yet seem defeated. This is an artistic anomaly (not for the Romans apparently). The theme is defeat and how it affects everyone. When we see someone like Hercules tired and hunched over, as well as the boxer defeated and battered up, we get a sense of understanding which induces empathy. This is something uniquely human and the artists did an amazing job portraying this through their artwork!

I also found the concept of people beating themselves extremely interesting. It brought me back to Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World! I remember how every time the savage would succumb to desires of the modern world he would beat himself. Near the end he participated in an “orgy porgy” and because of that ended up killing himself. That rope in the image reminded me of some scenes and events that took place in Brave New World! What makes it even more interesting is that the author, Aldous Huxley was a theologist!

–Moussa Toni Cisse