After Giambologna Bronze of Mercury with green patina

1700

Head of an Inca. Quebracho wood. 60cm tall. Signed twice. Dated 1929. First prize (Foreign Artist) in Buenos Aires 1941, catalogue available. Excellent condition.

This exquisite painting, resembling a precious jewel, serves as an exceptional illustration of the devotional cabinet paintings created by Giuseppe Maria Crespi, a highly original Bolognese artist during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Crespi's distinctiveness extended beyond his unique style and technique to the subjects he chose to portray. While his portraits and genre paintings often displayed a light-hearted and even irreverent tone, his treatment of religious themes resonated with deep emotion, even in its most inventive forms. This recently uncovered work by Crespi is a typical representation, invoking the tender connection between mother and child, and the Child's destiny, all within a compact and intimate format. Executed on a small scale, the painting showcases Crespi's remarkable sensitivity and mastery of paint, especially evident in the expressive brushwork of the drapery. The restrained and focused composition of the Holy Family allows for contemplation of the figures. Mary cradles the Christ child gently, seemingly presenting him to the viewer, her gaze knowing as the infant holds a diminutive cross, symbolizing his future crucifixion. Joseph appears in the background, emerging from the left side of the frame, gazing upward with folded hands in prayer. Individual motifs from this painting reappear in other works by Crespi, suggesting a synthesis of familiar elements into a vibrant composition. The artist's revisitation of designs throughout his career is evident, and this painting on copper likely belongs to a later period, reflecting stylistic ties to other works and Crespi's increased production of smaller devotional pieces. Distinguished by its cool palette, bold coloration, and the expressive force of the artist's hand, this Holy Family painting...

Angelo Basso (Italy, 1943 – 2011) Siren Signed and marked AP Foundry Mark FAA Beauty & Mythology Collection Sculpture 23″ inches tall (Base 5″ Siren 18″) Box size 20″ x 17″ x 27...

Fine Group of Sculptures in Bronze after Jean de Boulogne (Giambologna) The torturously twisting Rape of the Sabine Women is one of the finest and most technically difficult sculptures in the world. Three intertwined bodies, two men and a woman, spiral upwards as the woman tries to escape the clutches of the younger man standing over the older one. It is an absolute masterpiece by the Flemish sculptor Giambologna. After the original in Florence’s Loggia dei Lanzi, Piazza della Signoria...