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Open 10:00–5:00

Visit
Open today 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Admission is always free

6th and Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20565

Sculpture Garden Extended Hours

Open late until 8:00 p.m. on select nights
Through September 5
Exhibitions & Events
America’s 250th

Celebrating American art and artists
Art & Artists
Open Call

Artists Reimagining the Collection
Meet the 50 makers selected from more than 1,600 submissions

Gymnast Throwing a Sphere ('The Bowler')

second quarter 17th century

Leonhard Kern

Associated Names

Leonhard Kern

Artist, German, 1588 - 1662

The sculpture depicts a nude male figure in a dynamic, forward-leaning pose with his left leg bent at the knee and right leg extended behind him. He holds a sphere or ball in his hands as if preparing to throw it. The sculpture has a rich brown color, a smooth surface highlighting musculature, and anatomical details, emphasizing a lifelike quality. Positioned on a rectangular base, it shows the left side of the figure, displaying detailed work on the hair and facial features. The representation captures the strength and grace of the human form in motion.

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This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

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Artwork overview

Medium

fruitwood, possibly pear
Credit Line

Gift of Robert H. Smith/Robert H. Smith Collection
Dimensions

height (figure and integral base): 30.2 cm (11 7/8 in.)
width: 13.5 cm (5 5/16 in.)
length: 24 cm (9 7/16 in.)
Accession Number

2022.181.73

Artwork history & notes

Bibliography

2015

Schmidt, Eike D., et al. Bronze, Boxwood, and Ivory in the Robert H. Smith Collection of Renaissance Sculpture. London, 2015: 44-47, repro. no. 73.

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