Busts

Now thirty, Sabattini moved from Blevio to Milan, where he found a small laboratory with all the essential tools of his Craft. His contacts with “Domus” became more frequent. This be...

A pair 19th century (1850s) (Grand Tour) Italian carved multi-marble busts of Augustus of Prima Porta and Julius Cesar. These extremely fine an...

Marble bust of Julius Caesar, patinated marble, contemporary work. Bust of Julius Caesar in patinated marble, reproduction of a bust of Julius Caesar by Andrea di Pietro di Marco Fe...

Italian sculpture "Esculapio Acefalo" Carrara marble Measure: H: 66cm 22cm x 18 Began 20th century Perfect condition.

A portrait of Roman aristocrat executed in the Veristic style. From the Latin "verus" meaning truth, the practice represented everyday subjects with great realism often including signs of age with exacting detail. Wrinkles, furrowed brows, and moles are presented as signs of wisdom and power and suggest the philosophical and moral character of the sitter. With the ascent of Emperor Augustus, eternal youth again took center stage, and verism fell into disfavor. The style enjoyed a resurgence after Emperor Vespasian came to power in 69 AD, Italy, 1st century BC. Provenance - the collection of Spanish fashion designer Elio Berhanyer...

Superb Italian Joan of Arc marble bust after Henri Chapu attributed to Professor Giuseppe Bessi from the Italian 19th century romantic period. In wh...

1950s Faux Painted Bronze Terracotta Sculpture of Cyrano de Bergerac on Marble Base Base and Sculpture are separate (as shown) Realistic faux painting simulates an aged-bronzed sculp...

ABOUT An original painted chalkware department store hat display bust of a gentleman with glass eyes. Marked "15 1/2" inside. CREATOR Unknown. Made in England. DATE OF MA...

An elegant, neoclassical-inspired female bust, hand-carved from white marble combined with veined marble in dark and ochre tones. The figure features a delicate, serene face, with he...

Naturalistic Sandstone Bust of Girl with Flowers designed by the Danish sculptor Sigurd Forchhammer for Just Andersen in the 1940s. * Sandstone figurine...

Huge Female bronze nude by John DeStefano. Signed lower left. Gorgeous detail to this beautiful bust including life-like size and a realist design . Incredible detail in her flowing...

Homage to Camille Claudel Romeo & Juliet Very Impressive Bronze Sculpture 500lbs Extraordinary and significant bronze sculpture, France, 20th century The artist has created a wo...

This finely executed bust of a Naiad is attributed to the neoclassical sculptor John Gibson (1790 – 1866). A Naiad was a type of mythological water nymph and is depicted here with her head bowed and cocked slightly to the side, displaying her strong neo-Hellenistic profile. In her hair, the nymph wears a headdress that is comprised of long and slender reed leaves, which not only identifies her iconographically as a water spirit, but draws a close comparison with those worn by the female figures in John Gibson’s Hylas Surprised by the Naiades (1827 - 1837) (fig.1). The downwards and off-centre orientation of our Naiad bust mirrors that of the taller figure on the left of the group, who rests her cheek on the head young Hylas (fig.2) Her facial physiognomy follows the neo-Hellenistic archetype established by Gibson and can be closely compared with his Tinted Venus – one of the most important statues of the Victorian era (1851–56, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool) (fig.3). While Gibson’s Tinted Venus is known best for its controversial polychrome ‘tinting’, the essential structure of the face—broad brow, finely drawn nose, wide (and slightly drooping) almond-shaped eyes - provided a template that Gibson returned to repeatedly in his depiction of mythological maidens. Critics of the time noted the consistency of his female types, with some seeing their idealised severity as an antidote to the sentimentality of much mid-Victorian sculpture (fig.4 – 6). The facial physiognomy is also very similar to a drawing by Gibson at the Royal Academy that depicts Hero weeping over the dead body of Leander (fig.7). The socle style of the present work also finds comparisons with Gibsons busts of Cupid and Aurora. This was of course somewhat standardised, but it is interesting to note the extent of their similarity with our bust. John Gibson RA is considered by many to be the greatest British sculptor of the nineteenth century working in the Neoclassical style. It is hard to overestimate the impact Rome had on the life and art of the artist. He first arrived in the city around 1817, when he was just twenty-six, and remained a resident there until his death. Not only did Rome’s ancient sculptural treasures and architectural fragments offer Gibson a lifetime of inspiration, but the Grand Tourists who poured into Rome in the first half of the nineteenth century provided him with many commercial opportunities. These rich or aristocratic travellers sought out mythological sculptures for their grand, palatial residences. However, since the papal decrees of Doria Pamphilj and Pacca of 1803 banned the export of ancient Greek and Roman works of art from Rome, there was a large demand for modern idealised sculpture in the Neoclassical style (Frasca-Rath 2016, p. 10). During his early days in the city he had the great fortune to train under both Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen (Roscoe and Hardy 2009, p. 522). He referred continuously to Canova as his “master”, particularly in his memoirs, which he dictated to Margarete Sandbach at the beginning of the 1850s; these were subsequently published by Lady Eastlake in 1870. Moreover, he claimed to be Canova’s last pupil in a letter to Antonio Gacini, Secretary of the Royal Academy in Milan in 1861, written to thank the Academy for accepting him as an Honorary Member: “The first instruction which I received in my art was from an Italian. It was Canova whose pupil I became in the year 1817 and studied under him for five years when he died. I was his last pupil” (Royal Academy Archive GI/1376). By 1821, Gibson had established his own studio in the via Fontanella, off the via Babuino. From here he aimed to produce sculpture of “the sublime and the purest beauty”, believing that the sculptor’s role was to select and combine the most beautiful parts of nature to create a harmonious whole, which would delight and elevate the viewer. By the mid nineteenth century he was one of the few remaining exponents of the so-called ‘pure’ and ‘neo Hellenistic’ style of sculpture, resolutely upholding the Neoclassical ideals established by Wincklemann, in a period when naturalism and modern subjects preoccupied the majority of artists in Europe (Turner, ed., 1996, p. 598). Gibson was convinced of the importance of disseminating artistic ideas through the younger generations, an ideal no doubt impressed upon him by Canova, and established ‘the British Academy of Arts in Rome’. His students included William Theed (1804–1891), Benjamin Spence (1822–1866), Harriet Hosmer...

Sculpture, Male torso, classical art, Greek art, Torso, white Carrara marble, classical sculpture, ancient torso, Gaddi torso Sculpted male torso on white marble from carrara, origi...

Stylized Art Deco,,W P A Bronze,,Woman bust, signed but wasn't able to identify? Powerful image! Extremely well executed.. I believe it is German..

Philip LaVerne (American, 1907-1987) and Kelvin LaVerne (American, 1937-2025) Male Figure Patinated Bronze Portrait Bust Sculpture, signed to reverse. 22.5" H x 14" W x 7" D. Prove...

A French Patinated Bronze Bust of Jesus Christ, Circa 1858, Signed J. Clesinger, Rome 1858 & F. Barbedienne Fondeur This French bronze bust of Jesus Christ, crafted circa 1858, ...

These two life-size bronze heads feature a fantastic patina and are mounted on two granite steles measuring 114 cm and 109 cm in height. Both the sculptures and the steles are in und...

Diane Art Nouveau Bust by Emmanuel Villanis – France Circa 1900 This elegant Art Nouveau bust "Diane" by renowned French sculptor Emmanuel Villanis (1858–1914) is among the artist’s...

Calzetta Da Ravenna (Attivo Tra IL 1496 E IL 1543 circa) Severo. Circle of. Candlestick depicting a kneeling satyr. The model of the present bronze is the ""kneeling satyr"" attributed to Severo Calzetta da Ravenna, one of the main Paduan bronze sculptors of the first half of the 16th century, whose figure was rediscovered by Planiscig in 1935 (L. Planiscig, ""Severo da Ravenna...

A handsome and wonderfully executed Italian 19th century neo-classical st. white Carrara marble and a faux painted marble bust of Napoleon. The bust is raised by an exceptional and m...

An elegant late 19th-century Italian marble bust of Psyche of Capua, inspired by classical Roman models. Finely carved with delicate features and flowing drapery, this piece embodie...

Contemporary Paolo Giordano Hermes abstract sculpture concrete cement cast grey Hermes is concrete sculpture. It's part of a large work that is also photographic: 'Digital Journey i...

A very fine and mpressive life-size Italian, early 20th century marble bust of a Greco Roman Warrior, probably Hercules, after the antique. The large beautifully carved and decorated...

Crafted in 2023, the Contemporary Bust of a Man breathes life into the age-old tradition of sculptural expression. Hewn from pine, its form emerges from the raw essence of nature, ca...

An incredibly rare and museum calibre monumental scale English Staffordshire bust of Queen Caroline, wife of King George IV, made in commemoration of his coronation in 1820 or her de...

Superb patinated marble and alabaster bust of a veiled woman crowned with laurel by Professore Giuseppe Bessi, Italy 19th century. Signed "Prof. G. Bessi". Excellent condition. Dim...

Stunning 1930s Art Deco Spanish Mannequin Bust Step into the elegance of the Art Deco era with this rare and exquisite 1930s Spanish shop mannequin bust. Standing at 58 cm tall, 28 ...

Neoclassical French bronze bust of Napoleon mounted on marble base.

Hand-Carved African Head Sculpture in Patinated Wood – Mid-Century Decorative Piece Description: This is a wooden sculpture representing an Afr...

A rare and important Italian alabaster bust sculpture of Jesus Christ, C. 1860 A modeled bust of Holy Christ wearing a crown of thorns, excep...

Bronze Moore sculpture, believed to be Italian, in the 19th century style, but probably executed in the mid 20th century.

Classical 19th century hand-carved Italian Neoclassic Grand Tour marble female bust. Bust features intricately carved young woman's head and neck, wearing delicate drapery across déc...

Herculaneum runners in black patina bronze. ADDITIONAL PHOTOS, INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOT, AND A SHIPPING QUOTE CAN BE REQUESTED BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO

Elegant carved marble bust depicting a young woman, signed Pugi on the base. The sculpture portrays a refined female figure with delicate facial features and a serene expression. He...

Antique Grand Tour Carved Carrera Marble Bust of Young Napoleon posing as Caesar, Circa 1880. A finely carved antique bust of Napoleon, crafted from Carrera marble around 1880. This ...

This plaster bust is a reproduction of the original bronze model created by the sculptor Raffaello Romanelli. Inspired by the famous Torso Gaddi displayed in the Classical Sculpture ...

Impressive and large-scale Grand Tour bust representing Lucius Verus, Roman Emperor of the 2nd century AD. This sculpture is a fine 19th-century interpretation after the antique, cre...

This item is based on the Venus De' Medici, a Hellenistic Greek marble statue which was considered a symbol of ancient beauty during the Neoclassical period. The detailed, highly acc...

Late 19th Century French Barbedienne Foundry bronze bust of the Capitoline Venus. Life size bronze bust reduction after the ancient Roman sculpture known as the Capitoline Venus, cas...

A beautiful collection of 6 vintage terracotta wall mask depicting some girls and boys, made by different makers in Austria and Germany. Some are marked on the back with a number or ...

Wooden book for marble and semiprecious stone samples, Grand Tour, 20th century, Rome. Briar and walnut feather-patterned cover with olive inlays, bois de fer, and fillets in Angevin...

CARVED ALABASTER BUST OF "VENUS OF MILO" Probably Italian, first half of the 20th century unsigned raised on an original shaped plinth 18" H x 10 1/4" W x 5 1/4" D Carved in a s...

Terracotta sculpture signed. Measures: Height 24 cm. Width 23 cm. Depth 12 cm.

This decorative Florentine terracotta bust, depicts the Greek god Apollo and it is modeled after the famous Apollo Belvedere sculpture, showing at the Vatican Museum.. Veiled by a ...

A Louis Auguste Joseph Bertrand, French terracotta sculpture of a baby holding a question mark symbol, Titled "Le Point d'interrogation" signed "Louis Bertrand" and dated "3. 1931" T...

An English classical plaster library bust of a gentleman in Roman clothing, with a wall bracket depicting a Roman eagle. Sir Walter Scott after Chantrey.

A French Terracotta bust of a young boy stood on an Italian bardiglio marble square soccle. The full head of curly hair cascading over face and shoulders. Original untouched conditio...

Female bust by Gustave Van Vaerenbergh, ca 1900 A female bust, made of marble and with gray tones and with decorative carving on the upper body of the dress. A beautiful face look...

Grand Tour Bronze Portrait Bust of a Roman Goddess. The sculpture presents an intricately carved face with a serene, contemplative expression and softly modeled features, framed by p...

This pensive bronze-finished bust of Napoleon Bonaparte is a quintessential example of Neoclassical revival style, reflecting the enduring legacy of the French Empire. Depicting the ...

A masterpiece of Catholic devotional art, this hand-crafted luxury porcelain bust of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ stands as one of the most refined interpretations of this enduri...

Set of Diskometal Birds made by Just Andersen in the early 1940s. * Set (2) birds in diskometal * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: D2295 (stamped 'Just D2295’) * Condition: Very go...

These two busts, monumental in both their size and artistry, come from the renowned Italian majolica workshop of the famed Angelo Minghetti. Depicted are the Renaissance political an...

WORKSHOP OF SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY (1781-1841) A BUST OF SIR WALTER SCOTT (1771-1832) Statuary marble

For your consideration, vintage bronze Buddah head sculpture with beautiful verdigris patina. Unmarked, no information available about the maker or country of origin. Dimensions: 1...

Peruvian pyrite bust of a human skull. Pyrite was given the name "Fool's Gold" by prospectors having mistaken it for gold in the 19th century. Its current namesake is derived from t...

A beautiful vintage terracotta plaque depicting Albrecht Dürer made by the famous Goebel Company in Germany. It is marked on the back. It would make a lovely decoration on any wall. ...

This distressed antique French winged cherub bust is a testament to the grandeur and craftsmanship of the 17th-century French Baroque. Carved from dense, heavy oak, this architectura...

Raised on an olive velvet base. Dimensions include the base. Portraiture is often seen as the quintessential Renaissance art form, and clay was used increasingly during the 15th cen...