19th Century Busts

Torso of Venus sculpture in Carrara marble. Indicative shipping costs in Italy: 130€ and Europe: 250€. Scultura di Torso di Venere in marmo di Carrara...

19th Century bronze bust Menelaus mythological king of Sparta. A fine casting with rich patina. In Greek mythology, Menelaus (Greek: Menelaos, from "vigor, rage, power" and "people," "wrath of the people") was a king of Mycenaean (pre-Dorian) Sparta, the husband of Helen of Troy, and the son of Atreus and Aerope. According to the Iliad...

This large and impressive bust cast in plaster and then placed on a carved stone socle is truly a great decorative object. This figure is after the model produced by Caffieri and dep...

A stunning and most impressive French 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated bronze, silvered bronze, ormolu, Rosso Verona and white Carrara marble bust of Marianne in full armor. The bust is raised by a thick Rosso Verona marble base with an elegant scalloped shape adorned with richly chased masks and swaging berried laurel garlands and centered by a striking fitted ormolu plaque...

19th Century Diminutive Bronze & Marble Portrait Bust of Franz Liszt Germany, Late 19th Century A splendid bronze bust of famed composer Franz Liszt in...

Very heavy and beautifully cast with great patina.

This elegant bust was sculpted in France, circa 1880. The sculpture sits on an integral round base and depicts a young beauty in traditional Louis XVI clothing; the art work is signe...

An antique marble bust of a bearded male in classical Roman attire. Larger than life size and carved in pure white Italian statuary Carrara marble. In u...

Life size antique marble bust of a male in the classical Roman style wearing a toga. Carved in pure white statuary Carrara marble. Signed and dated “W. Theed Sc, Copio 1872” ...

Stunning Art Nouveau bronze bust depicting the character "Lola" modelled in the midst of an inquisitive look. The study has a multi hued patination of colours that accentuate the very fine hand chased surface detail. Signed ?E Villanis...

Modeled after the original found at Pompeii.

This Greek bust depicts the legendary poet and author Homer who is presumed to have penned the two of ancient Greece’s most epic poems: the Iliad and the Odyssey. Scholars are uncertain whether or not Homer actually existed but if he in fact did exist, Homer would be regarded as one of the greatest literary artists of his time. This is an iconic statue for an interior and looks particularly impactful when placed on a column or plinth. Please note the blue plinth...

Large head of Dionysus sculpture in white marble, 19th century.  

A charming marble bust of a young girl, unsigned, execute in the mid 19th century in Italy. it is in very good condition and the expression of the girl is attractive from all angles.

19th century French bronze bust sculpture of Emperor Lucius Varus . This handsome Grand Tour bronze bust of is in the manner of F. Bard...

This marble figure of a sleeping child was crafted around 1800 in the style of François Duquesnoy, a sculptor active in Italy in the early 17th Century....

Large white marble bust of a noble lady: the facial features are fine, the hair up in a bun, the low-cut dress Bust on a pedestal base Signature o...

Pair of 19th century busts. These are 2 19th century Gesso painted busts of 2 archaeologists of the period. Measurements: 69 x 62 x 28 Y 65 x 60 x 30 Good condition.

Over the plaster base is set the plaster cast of the head of Alexander the Great. Cast for drawing teaching in Academy. Italy circa 1890.

A very impressive & superbly cast patinated bronzed metal bust of Ajax turning to dexter, of compact proportions, after the Antique, attributed to Benedetto Boschetti (1820-1860). La...

Late 19th Century terracotta bust of a girl named Graziella. She has a sweet expression on her face. Nicely detailed sculpture. Signed on...

Bust of the Princess of Lamballe Marie Antoinette's Closest Confidante Carved from statuary marble and resting on a waisted rectangular Carrara socle, the portrait bust of Princess Marie-Louise Thérèse of Savoy-Carignan, later known as Princesse de Lamballe...

Large bust of Adolphe Burggraeve (1806-1902), great humanist, surgeon and professor of medicine at the University of Ghent, inventor of dosimetric medicine,...

This statuary marble sculpture was made in the last decades of the 19th century by the French sculptor René Rozet. He is mastering in sculpted bust portrait...

Rare grand Tour Patinated bronze bust of Cicero After Massimiliano Soldani Benzi. The original is in the collection of Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna. P...

A pair of superb quality 19th century gilt and patinated bronze orientalist busts. Each young lady dressed in traditional middle eastern attire...

An enchanting late 19th, early 20th century marble and gilded ormolu bust depicting a pretty young Dutch maiden. Signed; G.V. Vaerenbergh. Gustave Van Vaerenbergh (1873 - 1927) was...

Italian wooden sculpture of a mid 19th century woman's bust with purfled base. High quality hand-crafted item.

The Belgium artist Georges van der Straaten (born 1856) designed the two bronze busts at the end of the 19th century. One is titled "Bergere" (shepherdess), the other one "Pierette"....

Mid-19th century crib figure bust A wonderful example of a mid-19th century Italian hand carved crib figure bust. Glass eyes and original paint still inta...

DETAILS Signed and foundry mark on back. DIMENSIONS Height: 4-15/16 inches Width: 2-5/16 inches Depth: 2.25 inches ABOUT THE SCULPTURE This portrait bust is of Nelly Faner, famous burlesque dancer at the turn of the XX Century Paris. ABOUT THE SCULPTORE Emmanuel Villdnis (French, 1858 – 1914) was born to Italian parents in France, in 1858. He moved with the family to Piedmont, Italy, in March 1861; after the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. Known in Italy as Villani, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Albertina in Turin from 1871 to 1880 alongside master-sculptor Odoardo Tabacchi. When Villanis graduated, he exhibited his first works in cities across Italy, notably his bust ‘Alda’ in Milan, in 1881. Villanis returned to France in 1885, living and working in the Montmartre district of Paris and didn’t leave Montmartre until his death on August 28th 1914. Villanis specialised in female bronze busts...

Masterfully carved Italian Vanitas bust in solid marble from late 19th century. White Carrara marble skull combined with a red Rosso Imperiale marble Ro...

A very fine and large French 19th century white marble bust of a young beauty, purported to be a young "Marie Antoinette" (Queen of France 1755-1793), by René Rozet...

Presenting a stunning 19th century Thai bronze Buddha head on stand. From circa 1860-80 and from South Eastern Asia, most likely Thailand. ...

An antique Neoclassical sculpture offers cast and gilt bronze construction and depicts bust of a Classical man, 19th century Measures- 12''H x 4.75''W x 6''D

Bust of Alexander II. Rare bust of Alexander II in gilded bronze on a malachite base from the 19th century The quality of the bronze is excellent with man...

Carved from reddish brown hardwood, the hollow form rises from a cylindrical neck, the lowest part being a rounded base, then surrounded by diagonal sections. The neck is surrounded by nine rows of coral beaded necklaces (odigba) that extend to a thread motif on the back of the head. Face in full relief with straight lips, flared, flattened nose and oval eyes with set shell (nut) for the pupils. Along the forehead are six frontal scars treated with rectangular cavities in which should have inserts nutshells. In this case there is only one left Small ears on each side of the head, each C-shaped. A headband consisting of three rows of almost completely distroyed. On the right side of the head, a single feather extends upward from a beaded rosette. Behind the ear, two long braids of hair hang down to the beaded collar and then become bows that reach the roots. The left side of the head has a long, single braid behind the ear that hangs down to the beaded collar and becomes a bow that ends at the base. On each side, three strands of hair appear at the temples under the headband. Featuring an open hole with a circular motif on the top of the head and a rectangular open slit down the back. Insect damage in different areas; very old worn finish showing a lot of age. Very heavy insect damage in all areas; very old worn finish showing a lot of age. “Wooden shrine heads were permitted to sit on the altars of chiefs and important figures, in contrast to the copper alloy heads used exclusively by the kings of Benin. (Frederic Backlar, Bonhams, New York, 2012, lot 172) Osemwede (reigned 1816-1848) was the first Oba to decree that human heads could be carved for the altars of chiefs of royal lineage, rather than just wooden antelope and perhaps goat heads. Therefore, chiefs of blood enjoyed in Benin City (but not throughout the Kingdom of Benin, where antelope heads continued to be placed on the altars of their ancestors well into the 20s. Thus, the (wooden) human heads are said to be later than ca. 1816, but the actual age depends condition, insect damage, etc." (Fagg, William, Christie's, London, 1988, lot 206) "Feathers were worn by chiefs as a sign of status. The heads have a hole at the top intended to hold a large carved ivory tusk...

Rare Iconic piece by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, in terracotta, "Saloio e o Gato". Original piece without restoration.

French Empire style (19/20th Cent) bronze miniature plaque of a bust of Napoleon in relief set inside a matching design frame resting on an easel stand.  

A signed pair of portrait busts of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller by Posch. Leonard Posch, Austrian 1750- 1831, produced these f...

A French 19th century bronze and marble bust of Marianne in full armor. The nicely cast Baroque Revival brown patinated bronze and carved white marble figure of Marianne, the allegorical personification of the French Republic, presented in her militaristic guise, reminiscent of Minerva, wearing a Phrygian helmet and armored breastplate centered by winged male mask and with lion shoulder armor pads, all raised on a conforming black marble base. Circa: 1890-1900. Marianne has been the national personification of the French Republic since the French Revolution, as a personification of liberty, equality, fraternity and reason, as well as a portrayal of the Goddess of Liberty. Marianne is displayed in many places in France and holds a place of honor in town halls and law courts. She is depicted in the Triumph of the Republic, a bronze sculpture overlooking the Place de la Nation in Paris, as well as represented with another Parisian statue on the Place de la République. Her profile stands out on the official government logo of the country, appears on French euro coins and on French postage stamps. She was also featured on the former franc currency and is officially used on most government documents. Marianne is a significant republican symbol; her French monarchist equivalent is often Joan of Arc. As a national icon Marianne represents opposition to monarchy and the championship of freedom and democracy against all forms of oppression. Other national symbols of Republican France include the tricolor flag, the national motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, the national anthem "La Marseillaise", the coat of arms, and the official Great Seal of France. Marianne also wore a Cockade and a red Phrygian cap symbolizing Liberty. Minerva and its pendant bust of Mars evoke the classicizing subjects, bust-length formats, and style that originated in France during the reign of Louis XIV (1643–1715) and that concurrently was popularized across Europe. The busts' simple forms, stiff poses, and solemn facial types are consistent with the late Baroque sculptures that were carved in Flanders during this period. In Flanders, especially in Antwerp and Brussels, sculpture and architectural decoration traditionally was carved using combinations of native black marble (noir belge), mottled red marble (rouge belge), and white marble or alabaster. The use of these stones in colorful counterpoint speaks most strongly to the busts’ Flemish origins. The veneration of ideal heroes and heroines in ancient costume and arms took on extravagant form in the 17th century, with countless variations. Within this imaginative tradition, the identification of the pair as Minerva and Mars cannot be certain. The female bust, for example, could be identified as Bellona, Roman goddess of war, who is depicted in 17th and 18th century French paintings wearing flamboyantly plumed helmets and low-cut cuirasses that expose her breasts. Whatever their identities, the female and male warriors are portrayed as calm rather than bellicose beings. The sovereign pair does...

Porcelain figurine of a couple, German, 19th century. Seduction scene with captured moment of emotions, beautifully detailed and hand painted porcelain Marked underglaze blue Meas...

A 19th century French bisque sculpture of a stature of boy and girl reading a book. Biscuit porcelain with indistinct signature to base 'LIARD', Shipping included Free and fa...

After Odoardo Tabacchi (1831-1905) a very fine Italian 19th century patinated bronze figure of "La Tuffolina" (The Diver). The finely cast brown patin...

Finley cast bust of lady on beautiful rogue marble plinth with a dore bronze accent ring at the base.

A striking and high quality true pair of French 19th century Louis XVI st. Belle Époque period patinated bronze, ormolu, Rouge Griotte, and black Belgian marble busts attributed to F...

Child bust in plaster around 1900 unsigned but of remarkable quality. Dimensions height 69 cm. Additional information: Material: Patinated plaster

Emile Pinedo bronze bust sculpture of a woman.

pair of very decorative French 19 century Apollo and Daphne Bronze Clad Busts.

An Exceptional Antique French 1st Empire Period Dore Bronze Grouping of Lovers, Attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire a Paris. Exceptionally cast, hand-chiseled and further burnished and matted with two-tone gold, this dore bronze grouping of two neoclassical lovers is of the upmost quality and craftsmanship. As Pierre-Philippe Thomire is regarded as one of the greatest bronzier's of the late 18th century and early 19th century, this dore bronze piece could only be made by someone with his artistic talents. The lovers are seen with the man seated on a cushioned bench with tasseled...

An Incredible and Large Gilt and Patinated Bronze Group of Gloria Victis, a Winged Figure of Victory with a Fallen Warrior. This incredible bronze piece was cast after a model by Maarius-Jean-Antonin Mercié, This model is signed 'F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR PARIS' demonstrating that it was cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne's foundry, the best bronzier of the 19th century. The base is further signed 'A. Mercie' and stamped 'Réduction Mécanique' with an inscription of '659'. The figure is mounted on a Belgian noir marble base with various stepped edges. Gloria Victis is one the most well-known and important bronze casts of the 19th Century. The quality of this particular model is absolutely incredible and all the marking indicate that this particular piece is one of the finest produced by the Foundry. A student of Jouffroy and de Falguière at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercié (1845-1916) won the Grand Prix de Rome at 23 years old with his work Thésée vainqueur du Minotaure. In 1872, he sent the plaster model of his work David vainqueur to the Salon, for which he won the first class medal. At the same time, he received La croix de la Légion d'honneur at the Villa Medici. His return to Paris, in 1874, issued in a long and brilliant career with numerous commissions, notably the monuments for Louis-Philippe and Queen Marie-Amélie for the Royal Chapel at Dreux (1886). By the age of 30 Mercié was already very well-known and his Gloria Victis received resounding success when it was exhibited at the Salon, in 1874 (in plaster) and in 1875 (in bronze). This work exalted the heroism and the patriotic sentiments aroused by the disasters of 1870. His predilection for patriotic subjects is shown in many of his works such as Quand même...

Carrara marble bust of an elder. Fantastic quality marble and carving.

This terracotta bust of a woman has some exquisite details. Sculpted in France in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, our subject has long, straight hair emerging from underneath a hood...

Antique bust of Apollo of Belvedere. Finely carved carrara marble. Mid-19th century. Italian. Presented by Joseph Dasta Antiques # nude male greek roman mercury statue...

Presenting a regal yet approachable portrait of France’s Louis XV, this terracotta bust is modeled after Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne’s sculpture of the king executed in 1757, which now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This version is executed in meticulous detail, with the king donning his cuirass decorated with the cross of the Holy Ghost and a draper tied under his tie. His head is turned slightly, giving the portrait a more casual, realistic feel, yet there is no mistaking his position of power in this confident portrayal. Louis XV, also called “Louis the Beloved,” ruled as King of France from September 1, 1715 until his death in 1774, succeeding his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until the young Louis...

Grégoire Calvet (French, 1871-1928) A Fine Late 19th Century Life-Size White Marble Sculpture representing "Peace & Love". The beautifully carved white...

Beautiful antique sculpture by the French artist Jean Valette. The statue depicts a young girl, with a beautiful modest look and a Christian cross on a chain around her neck. The sta...

Beautiful sculpture. Verso cast inscription "Hermes from Olympia" as well as "Property of the Micheli Brothers - Berlin" Plaster cast after the antiq...