Marble Bust of a Goddess, Italian, late 17th/early 18th century

North Italian, 16th century Bust of the emperor Vitellius Bronze, on later bronze socle, lead support to reverse 18 cm. / 7 ins (the bust), 23 cm. / 9 ins overall This fine and apparently unique all’antica Renaissance bronze is inspired by a bust in Venice thought to depict the Roman emperor Vitellius (15-69 AD), who ruled for only eight months in 69 AD before he was overthrown by Vespasian. The Vitellio Grimani, also known as the pseudo-Vitellius, was discovered in Rome in 1505 during excavations on the Quirinale on land owned by the Venetian cardinal Domenico Grimani (1461-1523). On the death of Grimani the Vitellius was sent to Venice and bequeathed to the Republic of Venice, where it was displayed at the Palazzo Ducale from 1525 to 1593. It is now in the Museo arceologico nazionale di Venezia (inv. 20) and regarded as a portrait of an unknown Roman from the first half of the second century AD. The present small bust, with its rough, waxy surface and imaginative adaptation of the antique model on which it is based, bears all the hallmarks of Renaissance bronze modelling in the north of Italy. Indeed, the vigorous modelling is reminiscent of the works by Andrea Briosco, called Il Riccio (1470-1532), who worked in Padua in the Veneto and specialised in small bronzes based on antique subjects. See, for example, his head of Bacchus (private collection, offered at Sotheby’s London in 2021), which has a similarly waxy treatment of the hair. The fantastical lion-mask on the breastplate, with its stylised face and unusual braids of hair, is also typical of the imaginative re-working of antique motifs by Renaissance artists. This indicates that the present bust is probably by a follower of Riccio working in Padua or another centre of classicism in the Veneto. RELATED LITERATURE: L. Planiscig, 'Andrea Riccio...

Italian, 19th century After a model attributed to Guglielmo della Porta (1515-1577) Relief of the Pietà Gilt bronze, on a perspex stand 18.8 cm. x 13 cm. PROVENANCE: Private coll...

17th Century French School Portrait of an aristocratic lady as the Magdalene Oil on canvas, framed 57.75 x 48.5 cm. /22 ¾ by 19 ins The frame 79 by 71 cm. / 31 by 28 ins PROVENANCE:...

Attributed to Barthélemy Prieur (Berzieux, Champagne 1540-1611, Paris) Relief of a Sacra Conversazione French, circa 1600 Gilt bronze Dimensions: 17.3 x 13.2 cm. / 6 7/8 x 5 1/4 inch...

Psyche of Capua. White marble bust of Venus, after antique. Italy, late 19th century. Inscribed, 'Chiurazzi.' Measures: 21 in. (53.3 cm) height.

Italian Neoclassical Grand Tour Carved Marble Bust of a Young Woman. The figure is presented in an introspective pose, her head gently inclined downward, evoking a sense of contempla...

An 18th Century marble bust of the goddess Juno. The Roman Queen of the Gods, wife of Jupiter and Goddess of women, marriage, protection and childbirth. Carved with softly modelled ...

19th century Marble Bust Of A Young Girl in a graceful pose. The bust embodies the neoclassical ideals of the era, capturing the both youthful beautiful and refined elegance. The sol...