Boy with Thorn Bronze Sculpture

This 1st c. BC bronze sculpture, known as ’Boy with Thorn’ or ’Spinario,’ depicts a nude boy removing a thorn from his foot. It is a Roman copy of a Greek Hellenistic original. The figure has been interpreted as Ascanius, son of Aeneas, or a young grape harvester. Its Renaissance popularity inspired many artists. As a bronze, it is rare compared to the more common marble copies of ancient sculptures.