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"Discus Thrower, " Large, Extremely Rare Bronze with Nude Male Athlete, McKenzie

About the Item

Sculpted by America’s foremost artist with a focus on the form and performance of male athletes, this masterpiece of 20th century sculpture -- especially large and rare -- depicts a nude discus thrower as he is about to hurl the disc forward. Robert Tait McKenzie was a remarkable polymath, acting as physician, physical therapist, physical educator, and sculptor over his lifetime, and serving as the University of Pennsylvania’s first Professor of Physical Education from 1904 to 1929. In 1931 he was appointed the J. William White Research Professor of Physical Education, permitting him to focus his efforts almost exclusively on sculpture, and in most cases, he used university students as his models. To our knowledge, the only other example of this sculpture is held by the National Galleries of Scotland.
  • Creator:
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Width: 20 in (50.8 cm)Depth: 11 in (27.94 cm)
  • Style:
    Art Deco (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Bronze,Cast
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1926
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU865126877692

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