Gymnast Throwing a Sphere ('The Bowler')

Art Historical Context

Leonhard Kern’s Gymnast Throwing a Sphere captures a dynamic moment of athletic motion in a compact fruitwood sculpture from the second quarter of the seventeenth century. Standing just over 30 centimeters tall, the figure leans forward with arm extended, as if releasing a sphere in mid-action. The work’s lively pose and balanced proportions demonstrate Kern’s skill at conveying energy and balance within a small format. Carved from a single piece of fruitwood, possibly pear, the sculpture highlights the fine grain and warm tone that allowed seventeenth-century artists to achieve intricate detail and smooth surfaces. Such portable wooden figures were prized for private collections, where viewers could admire them from multiple angles. Acquired by the National Gallery of Art as part of the Robert H. Smith Collection, this piece offers today’s visitors a glimpse into the period’s fascination with the human body in motion and the refined craftsmanship of small-scale sculpture.

About the Artist

Leonhard Kern · 1588–1662

Leonhard Kern (1588–1662), born in Forchtenberg as the fourth son of stonemason Michael Kern the Elder, emerged from a family of masons steeped in architectural sculpture. After attending the Gymnasium in Öhringen, he apprenticed from 1603 to 1609 with his older brother, the sculptor Michael Kern (1580–1649), in Würzburg, mastering stone carving in the family workshop. In 1609, Kern embarked on fo...