International Institute for Sport History

Charles Townley and friends in the Park Street Gallery, Westminster

The marble statue of the DISCUS THROWER was found at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli around 1790
and purchased by Charles Townley, a British collector of Greek antiquities who thought he was getting
an original Greek marble statue, but it was actually a Roman reproduction. The statue was headless when found.
When a head was later found the statue was incorrectly restored with the head pointed down, but it should be pointing
back facing the discus. Thomas Jefferson was among the many visitor's to Townley's home, which served as his private art
gallery, at Park Gate in London. Artist Johan Zoffany painted Charles Townley and friends in the Park Street Gallery in 1782
and 8 years after the painting was finished added the DISCOBOLUS to the lower left corner at Townley's request.
(see the lower left corner). After Townley's death in 1805 his entire collection was purchased by the British Museum in London
where you can see this statue today. The IISOH will acquire copies from the molds of this statue.

Return to the ENDOWMENTS PAGE for other STATUARY GARDEN ideas.

For other endowment ideas go to the SUBJECT AREAS page.
These are the areas of interest for the IISOH - a long but not necessarily complete list!

Other links to pages about the International Institute for Sport History.

Read the Articles of Incorporation here
Read the BYLAWS here
Meet the Board of Directors here

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Building Plans

Contact:
Mr. Harvey Abrams, President
International Institute for Sport History (IISOH)
PO Box 175
State College, PA, USA 16804