Gladiators: Hector and Ajax (Combat)

Gladiators: Hector & Ajax (Combat)

1963

Leon Underwood (1890-1975; active 1917-72)

This is the first cast in an edition of seven, shown at Underwood’s last ever show at London's Archer Gallery in 1967. It forms part of his last phase of sculptural output and demonstrates his well-known ‘bronze skin effect.’ This saw him producing lively and complex surface finishes with rough texturing akin to Auguste Rodin, and the use of hollow cavities comparable to Henry Moore. Having worked more with stone and wood in his early years, Underwood’s experiments in bronze accelerated in the late 1940s, when he began to operate his own foundry.

England

Bronze, signed ‘Leon U’ and numbered I / VII.

Museum no. A.4-2013