Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 19

ANTIQUE marble Figure of Michelangelo Carving the Head of Faun

$47,500per set
£36,077.42per set
€41,681.34per set
CA$66,572.96per set
A$74,507.67per set
CHF 38,887.28per set
MX$908,609.50per set
NOK 497,704.22per set
SEK 471,140.78per set
DKK 311,062.32per set
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

Young Michelangelo Carrara marble. Signed: P. Bazzanti, Florence (Italian, 1825-1895) Circa 1870 This magnificent 19th-century hand-carved marble sculpture depicts the young artist carving his first known work, a faun's head. The richly detailed Michelangelo standing holding a hammer and chisel while carving the head of Faun, a symbol of fertility. Finely executed with intricate detail throughout. The statue is raised on a green marble pedestal. Dimensions Height with pedestal: 73" (185 cm) Width with pedestal: 19" (48 cm) Depth with pedestal: 18" (45 cm) Height of sculpture: 38" (96 cm) Width of sculpture: 17" (43 cm) Depth of sculpture: 13" (33 cm) Head of a faun is a lost sculpture by Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo, dating from circa 1489. His first known work of sculpture in marble, it was sculpted when he was 15 or 16 as a copy of an antique work with some minor alterations. According to Giorgio Vasari's biography of the artist, it was the creation of this work that secured the young Michelangelo the patronage of Lorenzo Dear Medici. Pietro Bazzanti (1825-1895), Son of the renowned sculptor Nicolò Bazzanti specialized in allegorical and genre subjects as well as copies of Antique and Renaissance sculpture. Regarded as one of the most talented sculptors of his day, his studio in Florence became a centre for other important sculptors such as Ferdinando Vichi, Cesare Lapini and Guglielmo Pugi. Many of these sculptor's works are inscribed Galleria Bazzanti
  • Creator:
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 73 in (185.42 cm)Width: 19 in (48.26 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1870
  • Condition:
    Repaired: A truly fantastic quality sculpture. Minor fading and minor professional repairs. Overall current condition is excellent. Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU986215795442

More From This Seller

View All
"Reproof" A Marble Sculpture by Edward Russell Thaxter
By Edward R. Thaxter
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This enchanting museum quality Carrara marble group is the work of Edward Russell Thaxter (born Yarmouth, ME 1857-died Naples, Italy 1881). The sculpture depicts a young girl sternly scolds her cat, who has just attacked a bird's nest. She clutches the cat to her chest and looks at it disapprovingly, while waving her hand in discipline. Meanwhile, a dead bird lies at her feet and feathers hang limply from the cat’s mouth. This scene is a prelude to the responsibilities of motherhood: the young girl who is now reprimanding her cat will have to ensure that her own children are well behaved in the future. The sculpture rests on a dark green serpentine marble pedestal. Although Edward Thaxter's life was short, he excelled in creating detailed neoclassical sculpture. Signed: E. R. Thaxter Titled: Reproof Circa 1878-1880 Measures: Height with pedestal 76" (193 cm) Height of sculpture 40" (101 cm) Another example of this marble figure is in the Smithsonian National Museum in Washington DC. Artist biography: Edward Russell Thaxter was only twenty-four years old when he died, but in his brief career as a sculptor he garnered praise for his work and was deemed an artist with a promising future. Born in Yarmouth, Maine, he is believed to have chosen to study sculpture after seeing the work of John Rogers. At the age of sixteen, Thaxter moved to Boston and studied with the portrait sculptor John D. Perry. In 1878 Thaxter left for Florence, Italy, where he took a studio and began to create the neoclassical works that won him critical attention. In 1881 he contracted typhoid fever, which left him in a weakened condition, and within the year the young sculptor died in Naples. Thaxter's untimely death was noted with genuine regret in the American press. The critic James Jackson...
Category

Antique 1870s Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Large Marble Figure by Romanelli, 'The Son of Willaim Tell'
By Pasquale Romanelli
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A magnificent 19th century Italian carved marble figure of the son of William Tell kneeling under a tree trunk with a punched apple above his head. Raised on a contemporary solid marble pedestal. By Pasquale Romanelli (1812-1887) This model is recorded as the first sculpture exhibited by Pasquale Romanelli, it met with such success that it was subsequently given a prize at the New York Exhibition of 1854 and also at the 1861 first Great Italian exhibition which followed the Unification of Italy in 1860. The statue was bought by Italian king S.M. Vittorio Emanuele II. Signed: Romanelli, circa 1860 Dimensions: Height with pedestal 70.5" (179 cm) Diameter with pedestal 24" (61 cm) Height of sculpture 41.5" (105 cm) Diameter of sculpture 22" (55 cm) Pasquale Romanelli was born in Florence on May 28 1812. When he was 15 years old he entered the studio runned by Master Sculptor Luigi Pampaloni and later moved to Lorenzo Bartolini’s studio in Borgo San Frediano. Lorenzo Bartolini was a teacher at Accademia in 1837 and suggested the young pupil to attend proper sculpture training at the Accademia of Belle Arti. Soon he learned to sculpt in marble at such a high level that Bartolini himself did not need to finish his pieces if they have been carved by Pasquale. In 1840 he got his studio at the San Barnaba Monastry (nearby San Lorenzo church) and in this years he already took part in the political life, sure enough his subjects were connected to his political IDEA of freedom and independence of Italy. In 1850 Lorenzo Bartolini died his heirs had to deal with several sculptures uncompleted and sort out how to finish them without distorting either the original project and the Master’s style. As Bartolini was very jealous of his “last touch”, the heirs chose Pasquale Romanelli to complete most of his works, as he was the only assistant that could match the ability of the master. Just to mention some of this works, according to the tradition, the famous sculpture ”La fiducia in Dio” now housed at Hermitage Museum was sculpted by Pasquale Romanelli from an original model by Bartolini, as well as the “Monumento Demidoff” placed in Piazza Demidoff in Florence. Till the end of his life he worked on several commissions, either public monuments as the sculpture Francesco Ferrucci (Portico degli Uffizi) and private ones, mostly sold abroad. He was a renown portraitist and according to the tradition, luxury carriage...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Large Marble Sculpture of a Fisherman boy by professor Lot Torelli
By Lot Torelli
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A masterfully carved 19th century Italian Carrera Marble figure of a fisherman boy holding a bronze fishing pole sitting on a stump with a satchel hung ...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Italian Carved Marble Figure of a Young Girl by Caroni
By Emanuele Caroni
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A lovely 19th century carved Carrara marble figure of a young girl waving her right hand as a dove rests on her dress, she is standing aside a basket with a ball of string and a gar...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Napoleon III Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Marble Figure by Emilio Fiaschi, 'Testing The Waters'
By Emilio Fiaschi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A magnificent large 19th century Italian carved marble figure of a young lady wearing a laced bathing suit, stepping down from an old dock to test the temperature of the water with h...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Belle Époque Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Alabaster Group of a Cavalier and Lady with Pedestal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Superbly carved 19th century Italian alabaster group depicting a cavalier standing aside a sitting lady with a flower in hand. Raised on a green marble pedestal with a rectangular to...
Category

Antique 19th Century European Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Alabaster

You May Also Like

Italian 19th Century Marble Statue on Its Original Pedestal
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning museum quality Italian 19th century white Carrara, Sienna and Vert de Patricia marble statue on its original pedestal. The pedestal i...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Antique Italian Carrara Marble Sculpture by Raffaello Romanelli, circa 1890s
By Raffaello Romanelli
Located in New Orleans, LA
Magnificent Antique Italian Carrara marble sculpture by Raffaello Romanelli (1856-1928), Circa 1890. "Child with Flowers." Measureme...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Italian Marble Nude Sculpture on Composition Stone Pedestal Circa 1950s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Marble Sculpture nude woman in kneeling postion on a concrete 3 piece pedestal. Dimensions: Sculpture 35" h x 15" w x 16 1/2"d. Pedestal. 3...
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Neoclassical Revival Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Concrete, Marble

American 19th Century Marble Statue On It’s Original Vert De Patricia Pedestal
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A high quality and most patriotic American 19th century white Carrara marble statue on its original Vert de Patricia marble pedestal, entitled "Fourth of July". This wonderfully carved white Carrara marble statue depicts playful siblings in action and dressed in Revolutionary costumes. The young boy with a small drum below him blows a horn as he lights a miniature cannon...
Category

Antique 19th Century American Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

An Italian early 19th century marble statue by Carmelo Fontana
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A spectacular and highly detailed Italian early 19th century white Carrara marble statue of Rebecca at the well, signed by Carmelo Fontana (1775-1825). Rebecca is standing pro...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Italian 19th Century White Carrara Marble Statue on Its Original Swivel Pedestal
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning Italian 19th century white Carrara marble statue on its original Vert de Patricia marble swivel pedestal. The statue depicts a beautiful young girl consoling her baby brother...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble