Sculptuur van Apoxyomenos in het Museo Pio-Clementino te Vaticaanstad before 1907

This photograph by Edizione Brogi captures a marble sculpture of Apoxyomenos, or "The Scraper," located in the Museo Pio-Clementino at the Vatican. The original statue, now lost, was made in bronze by the Greek sculptor Lysippos. The athlete is caught in the act of cleaning sweat and dust from his body with a strigil, a curved metal tool. The choice of bronze allowed for dynamic poses and intricate details, showcasing the sculptor's skill and understanding of human anatomy. This marble copy seeks to emulate those qualities, but the change in material changes the work’s significance. Consider the labor involved in quarrying and carving marble, a process that demanded skilled artisans and specialized tools. Marble, unlike bronze, is static and monolithic. This photograph reminds us of the layers of craft and production behind this iconic work, and that the choices of material and process profoundly shape our perception and appreciation of art.