The Bronze Boxer is, in my mind, one of the greatest sculptures ever created. It’s not of a god or goddess or mythical being, but an eloquent portrait of a working man, a man whose job is brutal and exhausting. All of this is conveyed in this remarkable work with its painstaking details such as the ‘boxing gloves’ (see image below) and his crooked nose and cauliflower ear. Over 2000 years old, its survival is a miracle and an indication of the high level of artistic and technical talents of sculptors and founders from the Hellenistic era, where these artists turned their sights to creating works that depicted ordinary people rather than ideal mythic beings.