ticketsMember | Make a donation

Caestus

Founder Cast by Gorham Manufacturing Company American
1883–85; cast 1901
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 774
The Munich-trained Niehaus modeled Caestus in Rome, combining the inspiration of ancient sculpture with his penchant for anatomical realism. The work depicts a rigidly posed athlete preparing for a fight by binding leather straps in a crisscross pattern around his forearms. This arrangement of straps, known as a caestus, was the ancient Roman equivalent of the modern day boxing glove. Lead or iron weights were often secured over the knuckles to increase the impact of the blows.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Caestus
  • Artist: Charles Henry Niehaus (American, Cincinnati, Ohio 1855–1935 Grantwood, New Jersey)
  • Founder: Cast by Gorham Manufacturing Company (American, Providence, Rhode Island, 1831–present)
  • Date: 1883–85; cast 1901
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Dimensions: 35 1/4 x 15 x 15 in. (89.5 x 38.1 x 38.1 cm)
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1907
  • Object Number: 07.50
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Bacchante and Infant Faun, Frederick William MacMonnies American, Bronze, American
Bacchante and Infant Faun
Frederick William MacMonnies
Thiébaut frères
1893–94, cast 1894
A Young Mother, Bessie Potter Vonnoh American, Bronze, American
A Young Mother
Bessie Potter Vonnoh
Roman Bronze Works
1896, cast ca. 1906
Abraham Lincoln: The Man (Standing Lincoln), Augustus Saint-Gaudens American, Bronze, American
Abraham Lincoln: The Man (Standing Lincoln)
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
1884–87; reduced 1910; cast 1911
The Broncho Buster, Frederic Remington American, Bronze, American
The Broncho Buster
Frederic Remington
Roman Bronze Works
1895, revised 1909, cast by November 1910
Victory, Augustus Saint-Gaudens American, Bronze, gilt, American
Victory
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
1892–1903; this cast, 1914 or after (by 1916)

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.