Pancratiast Or Gladiators Bronze And Marble Book Presses

Two bronze pancratiast or gladiators, in combat posture, naked, dressed in a simple vine leaf and with grimacing and disturbing faces, serve as decoration for this original pair of book presses in light gray marble. Art deco period, good condition with some wear and tear including small impact on vertical panels.
Pankration is an ancient art of combat which mixes wrestling and boxing, everything or almost everything is allowed, the pancratiasts fought naked, their hands and forearms surrounded by straps, these could incorporate metal parts or spikes. In Greek mythology, Theseus used pankration techniques to fight the Minotaur. A brutal and very popular sport, pankration was a popular Olympic discipline in antiquity, with courageous heroes, some of whom became legendary, one of the most famous, Théagene is said to have won more than 1400 fights and had his life-size statue erected in Olympia.