Pro Romanis Art

Thrax Before the Fight

FINE ART REPRODUCTION

Dimensions:

16″ H x 24″ W (40.64 cm H x 60.96 cm W)
Price: $80 US; includes shipping & handling
Product Number: 00800-16Hx24W-B&W

16″ H x 24″ W (40.64 cm H x 60.96 cm W)
Price: $80 US; includes shipping & handling
Product Number: 00800-16Hx24W-Sepia

20″ H x 30″ W (50.80 cm H x 76.20 cm W)
Price: $100 US, includes shipping & handling
Product Number: 00800-20Hx30W-B&W

20″ H x 30″ W (50.80 cm H x 76.20 cm W)
Price: $100 US, includes shipping & handling
Product Number: 00800-20Hx30W-Sepia

24″ H x 36″ W (60.96 cm H x 91.44 cm W)
Price: $125 US, includes shipping & handling
Product Number: 00800-24Hx36W-B&W

24″ H x 36″ W (60.96 cm H x 91.44 cm W)
Price: $125 US, includes shipping & handling
Product Number: 00800-24Hx36W-Sepia

Paper: Canon Heavy Fine Art. Shipped in a sturdy mailing tube to ensure maximum protection.

Usually ships within 4-to-5 days.

Ships from and sold by Pro Romanis Arts.

Original artwork high-resolution scan printed on high quality large format printer (at least 300 dpi) on high quality paper.

Description

This pen and ink drawing shows a gladiator, a Thrax, just before the contest. This is the moment immediately after the opening procession (pompa) and before the pairing off for the fight. This gladiator is well known, a favorite of the Senators seated behind him to his left. One of the Senators has thrown a laurel wreath as a mark of respect. Another Senator holds a bag of coins in his hand. He is betting big on his man winning the match. The man he made the bet with, short of ready cash, has wagered his country villa in Antium. All of the Senators as well as the people in the next tier are swept up in the excitement.

Seating in the Roman amphitheater was rigidly hierarchical. The upper classes sat nearest the action, in the lower seats. Senators sat together. If you notice, there are no women. Aside from the Vestal Virgins, women were relegated to the upper tiers, along with the slaves. The games were mostly a male event. They were supposed to teach Romans about bravery and dignity in facing and meeting death.

Thrax: Before the Fight

This particular Thrax is not as heavily armored as a Thrax normally would be. He is missing protection for his sword arm and his right shoulder. He has no protection for this thorax. He does, however, have a heavy helmet which protects his head and his eyes. The gladiator’s small round shield, a buckler, does not provide coverage for the legs which is why he has greaves that reach the midpoint of his thighs. The Thrax is a large muscular man who moves deliberately and slowly.

About The Artist, Zygmunt Michalski

Zygmunt (Zyggi) Michalski began drawing from a very young age. He studied Architecture at the Cracow University of Technology. There, he studied painting and drawing with Krystyna Wróblewska—a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences—a well-regarded painter, graphic artist, and book designer. Her work and career have appeared in academic books such as Archiwum Sztuki Polskiej XX Wieku and Tom 2 Twórczość Krystyny Wróblewskiej. She herself studied under the famous painter Ludomir Slendzinski. Michalski also studied under Professor Wiktor Zin at the Architecture Department. Dr. Zin was a widely published author and a designer of many churches internationally and in Poland. He was a well-known TV personality. Michalski worked with Zin at the Polish Studios for the Conservation of Cultural Property. Michalski is equally adept at pen and ink drawing and oil painting. He can paint in various styles and is particularly interested in the historical and surrealistic subject matter. He is also very strong in portraiture. Zygmunt Michalski has executed more than 25 pieces of art for Pro Romanis. You can see some of Zyggi’s other work at en.zmichalski.art.pl.