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Acrobat from Osuna

Acrobat from Osuna is a sculpture dating from the late period noted in the source text and is now on display at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional de España in Madrid, with inventory number 38427. It formed part of an Iberian monument from the Iron Age II. The high relief measures 78 cm in height, 38 cm in width, and 25 cm in depth. It shows a man in an acrobatic pose, thought to have played a role in a game or funerary rite. His legs are bent so that his feet touch his head, while the arms used for support are almost entirely lost. He appears to wear a short pleated skirt and footwear tied near the ankles with straps, showing strong Roman influence.

Broken stone relief of the Acrobat from Osuna showing a male figure playing a horn.
Stone relief of the Acrobat from Osuna, showing a male figure in a dynamic pose playing a horn.
April 2018 © Jl FilpoC · CC BY 4.0
Acrobat from Osuna stone relief showing a male figure in a dramatic leaning pose holding a curved object.
The Acrobat from Osuna relief shows a male figure carved in light stone in a dynamic, leaning pose.
August 2016 © · CC BY 2.0
Stone relief fragment of the Acrobat from Osuna showing a contorted human figure with bent limbs and a tilted head.
Fragment of the Acrobat from Osuna, carved in light-colored stone with a compact, bent figure.
· CC BY-SA 3.0
Stone relief of the Acrobat from Osuna, showing a figure with curled hair and clasped hands emerging from a rough block of stone.
The Acrobat from Osuna shown as a stone relief with the figure emerging from the block.
· CC BY-SA 3.0
Stone relief from the Acrobat from Osuna showing a partial human torso with a ribbed skirt and the lower body in a dynamic pose.
The Acrobat from Osuna, shown here as a light-colored stone relief with the figure’s torso and legs partly preserved.
· CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleAcrobat from Osuna
TypeHigh relief sculpture
French titleL'acrobate d'Osuna

Historical context

DateLate 4th century BC; one fragmentary source gives only "late of the" and is incomplete
PeriodIron Age II
CultureIberian
Art periodIberian period

Creator

CreatorUnknown

Discovery and provenance

Original settingPart of an Iberian monument
Originally belonged toAn Iberian monument of the Iron Age
Discovery placeOsuna, at the site of the ancient city of Urso
OriginFrom the ancient Iberian city of Urso, near Seville

Location and ownership

Current locationNational Archaeological Museum of Madrid, Spain
Inventory number38427
Exhibited withVarious other Iberian artworks / sculptures from the Iberian period

Physical characteristics

Dimensions78 cm high × 38 cm wide × 25 cm deep

Appearance

Depicted figureA man
PoseAcrobatic pose with bent legs and feet reaching his head
ArmsAlmost completely missing; they were used for support
ClothingShort pleated skirt with strong Roman influence
FootwearShoes tied near the ankle with straps

Materials

MaterialNot specified in the fragment

Iconography and meaning

Possible interpretationMay represent a role in a game or a funerary rite