Award-winning author Min Jin Lee brings a fresh perspective to an ancient image of a boy pulling a thorn from his foot—Spinario—rendered exquisitely by the artist Antico (also known as Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi). Lee’s reflections on the daily struggle of being an artist is honest and moving, and invites a close look at and careful consideration of the Spinario itself.
Spotlight: “Writers are reaching for our thorns; the thorns which define our entire being.”
Novelist Min Jin Lee reflects on Antico’s Spinario in relation to her creative pursuits.
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This article is part of Spotlight, a series that features new perspectives on a single work from The Met collection.
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Art Mentioned
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Antico (Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi)
probably modeled: 1496, cast: ca. 1501
Antico (Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi)
ca. 1518–1524
Antico (Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi)
1519–24