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General Maximus' (Russell Crowe) screen-matched hero dress cuirass from Ridley Scott's Academy Award®-winning epic Gladiator. Maximus wore his dress cuirass when surveying his troops and meeting with the Emperor following the battle of Germania. The cuirass screen matches through the wear pattern of the wolf crest, distressing marks, and leather folding on cuirass matches to when Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) asked him to become the next emperor, and finally when Maximus talked with Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) about the emperor in the courtyard.

Two styles of Maximus cuirass were created for filming: hero versions that were fiberglass-cast shells wrapped in leather, and lightweight cast foam versions for stunts and action sequences. This hero-style cuirass consists of a leather-covered fiberglass breastplate, backplate, leather connecting straps and shoulder detailing, and leather skirt straps at the waist. It features cast metal breastplate embellishments permanently affixed to the armor. The wolf crest on the chest is the same sculpture seen on General Maximus' gold battle armor. The breastplate connects to the backplate at the shoulders via leather cords that are tied into punched holes, and above the hips via dual leather buckles. The bottom of the cuirass features leather pteruges with metal details at the very ends also permanently affixed to the armor.

The film's costume designer Janty Yates stated that it was Crowe's idea to add embellishments to the cuirass breastplate. Gladiator was one of the most successful films of 2000 and places frequently on lists such as Empire's 100 Best Movies Of All Time. This screen-matched piece is one of the few hero cuirass in circulation and represents three of the five Academy Award categories that Gladiator won: Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Costume Design. This piece has been lightly intentionally distressed to appear aged. This lot exhibits crease marks and misshapen pteruges.

Estimate: $80,000 - 160,000



View all lots from GLADIATOR (2000)