16th Century Figurative Sculptures

Head of apostle or Christ in carved limestone. Elongated face with a large forehead and long hair with thick wavy locks on the sides. The almond-shaped eyes are underlined by the hem...

This remarkably fluid terracotta bozetto was made in preparation for Pietro Pacilli’s most important public commission, a large-scale marble statue of San Camillo de Lellis for the nave of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Expressively modelled, this terracotta sculpture is a rare and significant work made by a major Roman sculptor at a transformative moment of European sculpture. Pacilli began his working life on the great Baroque decorative projects initiated in the seventeenth century, but he found success as a restorer of ancient sculpture working to finish antiquities for a tourist market, becoming an important figure in the emergence of an archaeologically minded Neoclassicism. Pacilli trained Vincenzo Pacetti and provided important decorative work for the Museo Pio-Clementino, at the same time he is recorded restoring some of the most celebrated antiquities excavated and exported during the period. Pacilli was born into a family of Roman craftsmen, his father Carlo was a wood carver, and Pacilli is recorded working with him on the Corsini Chapel in San Giovanni Laternao as early as 1735. In 1738 his terracotta model of Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife won the first prize in the second class of the sculpture concorso at the Accademia di San Luca, this is particularly notable as Bartolomeo Cavaceppi came third. He worked as a carver and stuccoist completing works for the churches of San Marco and SS. Trinita dei Domeniciani Spagnoli. Pacilli operated as a sculptor and restorer of antiquities from his studio at the top of the Spanish Steps, close to Santa Trinita dei Monti, where he is listed as a potential vendor to the Museo Pio-Clementino in 1770. In 1763 Pacilli completed a silver figure of San Venanzio for the treasury of San Venanzio. He is recorded as Pacetti’s first master and it was evidently through Pacilli that he began to acquire his facility as a restorer of ancient sculpture. Pacilli, at his studio ‘poco prima dell’Arco della Regina alla Trinita dei Monti,’ exercised, what the nineteenth-century scholar, Adolf Michaelis called ‘rejuvenating arts’ on several important pieces of classical sculpture, including in 1760 the group of a Satyr with a Flute for the natural brother of George III, General Wallmoden, Hanovarian minister at Vienna. In 1765, Dallaway and Michaelis record that Pacilli was responsible for the restorations, including the addition of a new head, to the Barberini Venus which he had acquired from Gavin Hamilton. The Venus was then sold to Thomas Jenkins, who in turn passed it on to William Weddell at Newby Hall. In 1767 Pacilli exported a series of ancient busts ‘al naturale’ including portraits of Antinous, Julius Ceaser and Marus Aurelius, also a statue of a Muse and a Venus. As early as 1756 Pacilli seems to have been operating as an antiquarian, helping to disperse the collection of the Villa Borrioni. Pacilli supplied sculpture to notable British collectors, including Charles Townley, who on his first trip to Italy purchased the Palazzo Giustiniani statue of Hecate from Pacilli. Pacilli was involved with the Museo Pio Clementino from its conception, supplying busts of Julius Ceaser and a Roman Woman as well as completing stucco putti surmounting the arms of Pope Bendedict XIV to signal the entrance to the new Museo Critiano. In 1750 Il Diario Ordinario del Chracas announced that Pacilli had begun work on a sculpture of San Camillo de Lellis for St Peter’s. Camillo de Lellis founded his congregation, the Camillians, with their distinctive red felt crosses stitched on black habits in 1591. Having served as a soldier in the Venetian army, Camillo de Lellis became a novitiate of the Capuchin friars, he moved to Rome and established a religious community for the purpose of caring for the sick. In 1586 Pope Sixtus V formerly recognised the Camillians and assigned them to the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena in Rome. Camillo de Lellis died in 1614 and was entombed at Santa Maria Maddalena, he was canonised by Benedict XIV on June 26, 1746. It was an occasion that prompted the Camillians to make a number of significant artistic commissions, including two canvases by Pierre Subleyras showing episodes from San Camillo’s life which they presented to Benedict XIV. In 1750 Pacilli was commissioned to fill one of the large niches on the north wall of the nave with a sculpture of San Camillo. The present terracotta bozetto presumably had two important functions, to enable Pacilli to work out his ideas for the finished sculpture and at the same time to show his design to the various commissioning bodies. In this case it would have been Cardinal Alessandro Albani and Monsignor Giovan Francesco Olivieri, the ‘economo’ or treasurer of the fabric of St Peter’s. Previously unrecorded, this terracotta relates to a smaller, less finished model which has recently been identified as being Pacilli’s first idea for his statue of San Camillo. Preserved in Palazzo Venezia, in Rome, the terracotta shows San Camillo with his left hand clutching his vestments to his breast; the pose and action more deliberate and contained than the finished sculpture. In producing the present terracotta Pacilli has expanded and energised the figure. San Camillo is shown with his left hand extended, his head turned to the right, apparently in an attempt to look east down the nave of St Peter’s. The model shows Pacilli experimenting with San Camillo’s costume; prominently on his breast is the red cross of his order, whilst a sense of animation is injected into the figure through the billowing cloak which is pulled across the saint’s projecting right leg. The power of the restrained, axial contrapposto of bent right leg and outstretched left arm, is diminished in the final sculpture where a baroque fussiness is introduced to the drapery. What Pacilli’s terracotta demonstrates, is that he conceived the figure of San Camillo very much in line with the immediate tradition of depicting single figures in St Peter’s; the rhetorical gesture of dynamic saint, arm outstretched, book in hand, head pointed upwards was perhaps borrowed from Camillo Rusconi’s 1733 sculpture of St. Ignatius...

The Philosopher by Vincenzo Gemito (1852-1929) Bust in bronze with a nuanced dark brown patina Signed "Gemito" Stamped with the foundry mark "Fonderia Gemito Napoli - Merca di Fabbr...

Brian Russell Jobe (American, b. 1981) is an artist and non-profit director based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Jobe's studio practice is focused on sculptur...

(MADE TO ORDER) (Hand-painted, hand-made, porcelain) *Lead Time may vary between 1-3 weeks Melanie Sherman Vintage Peacock I (Wall Piece/Dish (handpainted) Porcelain, Glaze, Overglaze, Chinapaints, 24k German Gold Luster, Brass Wire (for hanging, can be removed) Year: 2022 Size: 4.5x6x0.5in Signed by hand COA provided Ref.: 924802-1330 ------------------------ My ceramics are handmade and painted with the finest overglazes from Europe. The gold luster used is 24k liquid Gold from Germany. Every piece is unique. My imagery is inspired by vintage Meissen dinnerware...

A Giallo Antico (Giallo Numidia ) marble grand tour model of a bath with ferine feet standing on a squared Violet Marble two order base. The work from the workshop of Benedetto Bosch...

Melanie Sherman Vintage Peacock III (Wall Piece/Dish (handpainted) Porcelain, Glaze, Overglaze, Chinapaints, 24k German Gold Luster, Brass Wire (for hanging, can be removed) Year: 20...

A very good large antique French gilt bronze of the Roman goddess Fortuna, by Louis Guillaume Fulconis (1818-1873), circa 1860. The bronze is inspired by sculpture of the Italian Ren...

Early 19th Century Italian School The Borghese Gladiator, c. 1810 Bronze with green patination 27 x 18 x 26 inches Since its discovery in the early seventeenth century, the Borghes...

19th Century Italian School Grand Tour Bronze Sculpture of Dionysus, 19th Century Bronze with black-green patination 24 x 10 x 10 inches Dionysus, in Greco-Roman religion, a nature ...

Piccola terracotta a soggetto mitologico firmata sul retro sulla base "Zambini", che per la grafia (in particolare la Z che ricorda una F) permette di identificare l'artista con Ferr...

Description: A Flemish Statue of Crowned Virgin Mary with Child Jesus, 17th Century, polychromed wood, silver crowns Statue: Crowned Madonna and Child Object Type: Statuette Artist, Sculptor / Creator: Unknown Place of Origin: Flanders Period: 17th Century Style: Renaissance Materials and Techniques: Polychromed wood, Silver Categories: Christianity Dimensions: H. 55 cm D. 15 cm W. 19 cm History: The Madonna and Child is one of the most easily recognisable, most frequently produced themes in the history of Art and has been depicted by many famous artists, including Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael. The word Madonna is derived from the Italian 'ma donna,' or 'my lady' and is used to describe Mary, the mother of Christ. The Madonna and Child depict a loving mother and son, which is a symbol of hope, faith, and love and represents the love and bond between mother and child, and is a symbol of hope and protection. Purity or virginity is represented by the color of clothing of Madonna. The color blue symbolises purity, virginity, and royalty. Physical Description: A magnificent 17th Century statue in polychromed wood of standing Madonna and Child. Virgin Mary is holding a small staff that is often shown in the hands of a king or queen. In Her left arm She is holding Her Son, Jesus Christ who is holding the World in His left hand to show that He is our Heavenly king on Earth and His Mother is our Queen. She wears a tight fitting golden dress with blue sleeves; over this is a blue mantle; Her mantle is lined red and is with an ochre gold border. The flesh is painted in natural colours and Her long hair lies over both shoulders. The Child Jesus wears a blue long sleeves dress...