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RICHARD L. MINNS
Large 2/3rd Life-Size Spartacus: Bronze, rich black with Brown undertone CLASSICAL
MYTHOLOGY: "As a figurative neo-classical sculptor, I have heretofore illustrated in art many Biblical Heroes and Greek and Roman Classical Mythology. The story of SPARTACUS is listed under my "Classical Mythology" section, but SPARTACUS was NOT a Myth. The story is true, powerful, overwhelming and inspiring. SPARTACUS is the symbol of man's eternal fight for freedom." "At a time when most slaves did not live to reach age 25, and at a time when the life of the average Roman Gladiator was measured in minutes, much less weeks or months, SPARTACUS, who spent his entire adult life in hand-two-hand combat, lived to age 38." "As a Gladiator slave, he formed a break-out, escaped to freedom and organized an invincible army of Gladiators and slaves who preferred to die as free men rather than live as slaves." "For two years, SPARTACUS defeated nine different Roman Legions sent to destroy him. Finally it took the entire Roman army to defeat him." "I have been a fan of SPARTACUS long before Howard Fast wrote the historical novel “SPARTACUS”, the basis of Stanley Kubrick's classic record-breaking 1960’s film starring Kirk Douglas as SPARTACUS, with an all-star cast, including Sir Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis, and many others." "My SPARTACUS, the ‘Ultimate Warrior’, has broken loose from the chains which bind him, and he is escaping to freedom. The chains, which fly in the air as he runs and charges forward, are an integral part of the sculpture. His every muscle, ligament and tendon strain to anatomical perfection." "SPARTACUS’ face is a mixture of rage and triumph. His is not a ‘pretty face’. That would be degrading his image. His face is the face of a Gladiator, inspired by Rodin's "Victory" with a little of Rodin's "Man with a Broken Nose". “SPARTACUS is in bronze with the Rodin-style patination of rich brown undertone covered by black patina, so under the lights the brown undercoating will shine through the black giving the sculpture a Glow. The chains and the base are in polished stainless steel.” "My aim is to capture Rage … Power … Maximum movement … the complete spectrum of human emotion. If you see any one of these elements in my sculpture, then I have succeeded. If you see ALL of these elements in my SPARTACUS, then you should own one of the limited Nine castings, since you really feel and see and understand my art." At 85, I think this is my best work to date." "I hope you enjoy owning this sculpture only half as much as I have enjoyed creating it.”
"Sincerely yours, Richard Minns was already a fan of SPARTACUS before he saw the 1960 epic movie SPARTACUS when Richard was 30 years old.t was only a matter of time until Richard used his considerable anatomical skills to portray SPARTACUS, and now at age 85, at the top of his skills, with his hands still steady as a rock, Richard's has created a vision of SPARTACUS, which colleagues already feel will stand the test of time and will remain an artistic treasure. The Legacy of SPARTACUS has made an impact in Politics, Literature, Music, Sports, Film and Television. Film and Television In 1960, the classic film SPARTACUS, directed by Stanley Kubrick, winner of FOUR (4) Oscars, with an all-Star cast (Kirk Douglas, Sir Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, Charles Laughton, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis, John Gavin, John Ireland and Woody Strode, etc.) made an international global impact. It became the biggest moneymaker in Universal Studios history for the next decade. The superbly talented Dalton Trumbo, who had been "blacklisted" as one of the “Hollywood Ten" by the McCarthy witch hunt, was chosen by Kirk Douglas to adapt the Howard Fast novel into a screenplay. Because of this, since Dalton Trumbo was blacklisted, the movie was initially blacklisted, until President John F. Kennedy personally crossed the picket line to see the movie, thus forever smashing the Boycott. In 2004, Howard Fast’s novel SPARTACUS was adopted as a made-for-TV movie by the USA network, with Goran Wišnjiċ in the main role. One episode of 2007 – 2008 BBC's docudrama "Heroes and Villains” features SPARTACUS. January 2010 – April 2013. The television series “SPARTACUS”, starring Andy Whitfield and later Liam McIntyre, in the title role, aired on Starz premium cable network. Literature The following writers have written historical novels on Spartacus: Howard Fast, Arthur Koestler, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Raffaello Giovagnoli, Andrejs Upits, Rev. Elijah Kellogg, Amal Donkol and Max Gallo. Music “Love Theme From Spartacus", a hit for composer Alex North, has become a jazz standard. Spartacus (1954, first staged in 1956) as a ballet, with a score by composer Aram Khachaturian. Sports Numerous Bulgarian Football Clubs bear the name SPARTACUS One of the oldest and most popular football teams in Slovakia is Spartak Trnava. Russian (originally Soviet) sports clubs named FC Spartak, and Spartak Sport Society (founded in 1921) are named in honour of Spartacus. The Spartakiad was a Soviet bloc version of the Olympic Games. So … now … at the height of his creative powers, Richard Minns at age 85 presents his interpretation of SPARTACUS. We think this will go down in history. But only you and history will be the judge.
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