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Art Deco Gilt Bronze & Marble Mantel Clock w. Sphinx & Pharaohs Egyptian Revival
Located in Lisse, NL
Large and stunningly figural Egyptian design, style marble clock garniture, circa 1920.
If you are looking for a statement piece for your mantel and you have an interest in worldly ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Gold Leaf, Metal
Rare Arts & Crafts Standing Floor Crucifix w Stylized Bronze Sculpture of Christ
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare Gothic revival church crucifix and a wonderful hand crafted work of religious art. Made and marked by Brom, Utrecht (see image 17).
Brom of Utrecht was a family (or dynasty) of...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Gothic Revival Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Hermes - Natural Concrete - Design Sculpture Paolo Giordano Classic Cement Cast
Located in MILANO, ML
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...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Concrete, Cement
Bronze Cowboys " Coming Through the Rye " Frederic Remington Mid 20th Century
Located in Charleston, SC
American bronze cowboy sculpture resting on oval molded marble base depicting cowboys on horses coming in to town from cattle drive. Bronze sc...
Category
Mid-20th Century American American Craftsman Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Painted Bronze Sculpture of Woman Holding a Palm Leaf by Franz Bergmann, Austria
Located in North Miami, FL
Jugendstil cold-painted bronze sculpture of a woman holding a palm leaf by Franz Bergmann, Austria
By: Franz Bergmann, Nam Greb
Material: bronze, copper, tin, metal, paint
Technique...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Jugendstil Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Bronze, Copper, Tin
19th Century German Pair of Sculptures in Zinc by Philipp Konrad Moritz Geiss
By Philipp Konrad Moritz Geiss
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A pair of antique German garden or fountain sculptures in a laying position (male and female) made of hand crafted cast zinc, designed and produced by Philipp Konrad Moritz Geiss, in good condition. These ornaments are probably the final element of a Tympanum group, particularized in white oil mount with gold heightened details, enhanced by detailed moulding. Right hand of the male is missing, due to age. Includes the pair of custom made white pedestals in wood. Minor fading, scratches due to age. Wear consistent with age and use. Circa 1840 - 1850, Berlin, Germany.
Male: 23" H x 39.5" W x 13.75" D
Female: 21" H x 39.5" W x 13.25" D
Tympanum comes from the Greek and Latin words, it means drum. It is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance door or window, which is surrounded by a lintel (structural horizontal block) and an arch. A tympanum often includes sculptures or ornaments. Tympana was often used in the Ancient Greek, Roman and Christian architecture.
Philipp Konrad Moritz Geiß was a German iron and zinc caster, born in 1805, in Berlin, Germany and passed away in 1875. After his high school, he joined the Royal Commercial Institute in Berlin to improve his hand work skill. During his studies, had an internship in the Silesian iron...
Category
Mid-19th Century German Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Zinc
Antoine Louis Barye Theseus Slaying the Centaur Bienor Bronze
Located in Dallas, TX
Antoine Louis Barye Theseus Slaying the Centaur Bienor Black Patinated Bronze Group.
A French bronze group entitled 'Thesee combattant le centaure Bienor, esquisse' (Theseus slaying...
Category
1850s French Beaux Arts Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
19th C. Italian Grand Tour Bronze of the Gladiator, After the Roman Antique
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th-century Italian Grand Tour Bronze of the Gladiator, After the Roman Antique
Attributed to the Naples Foundry, late 19th century
This fine 19th-century Italian Grand Tour bronze...
Category
19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Bronze Sculpture Arch Angel Michael's Battle with the Devil, Signed A. Saulon
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Bronze Sculpture Arch Angel Michael's Battle with the Devil,
Signed A. Saulon, Europe, Mid-20th Century
A powerful mid-20th century bronze sculpture depicting the Archangel Michael...
Category
20th Century European Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
'Cavalier Arabe' (Arab Huntsman on Horseback) After Alfred Barye
By Alfred Barye
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
'Cavalier Arabe' (Arab Huntsman on Horseback) After Alfred Barye
Alfred Barye (1839–1882)
A magnificent 20th-century posthumous casting of "Cavalier Arabe" (Arab Huntsman on Horseb...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Vienna Cold Painted Bronze Ten Piece Devil Orchestra, Attributed Franz Bergman
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Vienna Cold Painted Bronze Ten Piece Devil Orchestra, Attributed Franz Bergman
Austria, circa 1925, attributed to Franz Bergman, unmarked
Embark on a whimsical journey with this rare and delightful Vienna Cold Painted Bronze Ten Piece Devil Orchestra, made circa 1925 and attributed to the renowned Franz Bergman, though unmarked. This charming ensemble features ten individually cast and hand-painted bronze figures, each devil bearing its own instrument and unique action.
From the authoritative Conductor Devil to the playful Flute Devil, every character in this orchestra exudes personality and mischief. The ensemble includes the Piano Devil, Cello Devil, Drum Devil, Heraldic Trumpet...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Belle Époque Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique Gothic Revival Silvered Bronze Crucifix with a Gilt Bronze Corpus Christ
Located in Lisse, NL
Good size and impressive make, Gothic church altar crucifix.
This ornate and all hand-crafted, bronze table crucifix comes with a good quality made a...
Category
Early 20th Century French Gothic Revival Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Antique " Good Night " Italy Alabaster Girl Sculpture Table Lamp by U. Stiaccini
Located in Lisse, NL
Enchanting antique sculpture of a girl on the stairs holding a light, by Umberto Stiaccini, Florence circa 1910.
This beautiful and truly elegant, sculptural table or desk lamp is...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster, Brass
Robert Indiana Brushed Aluminum Red Love Paperweight Sculpture
Located in San Diego, CA
This very rare rendition and unique small edition of the vintage Robert Indiana love paperweight sculpture is captivating. This rarely seen version i...
Category
1970s American Modern Vintage Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Aluminum
Female Face Bust Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
A striking vintage black ceramic pottery female face bust sculpture, circa 20th century. A great piece for a column pedestal as shown, shelf, mantle, cocktai...
Category
Mid-20th Century Egyptian Revival Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic, Pottery
“Angel”- Bronze by Frederick Hart 1992 #76/350
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
“Angel"—Bronze by Frederick Hart, 1992, #76/350
"Angel" by Frederick Hart, created in 1992, is one of the most sought-after sculptures by this renowned American artist. This limited...
Category
Late 20th Century American Modern Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Antique Mazarin Six Light Gilt Bronze Chandelier with Bacchus God of Wine Masks
Located in Lisse, NL
Beautiful quality, turn of the century craftsmanship pendant light.
This stunning bronze chandelier of practical size is in excellent condition. The top quality workmanship is unlik...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Early 20th Century Art Deco Bronze entitled "Le Reveil" by Demetre Chiparus
Located in London, GB
Enchanting early 20th Century Art Deco cold painted silver bronze figure of a standing woman holding her arms high above her in a stretched pose, exhibiting excellent colour and fin...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French 20th Century Bronze Hypnos Statue
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An early 20th century cast bronze bust of Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, copied from the remains of an original sculpture made circa 300BC now at the British Museum in London. The m...
Category
20th Century French Other Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone, Bronze
Grand Tour Bronze and Marble Sculpture of the 'Seated Hermes' or Mercury
Located in Kinderhook, NY
A large and exceptional late 19th century Italian Grand Tour sculpture of the ‘Seated Hermes’ attributed to the Chiurazzi Foundry, Naples, Italy. The sol...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Bronzed Pierrot Sculpture, David Fisher, Austin Productions, 1986, Signed
Located in Doylestown, PA
Art Deco style seated Pierrot hollow-cast sculpture by David Fisher, Austin Productions, 1986. A Pierrot in classic attire is depicted expressing a melancholy demeanor with arms outs...
Category
1980s North American Art Deco Vintage Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Composition, Stone
Sculpture of Mercury or Hermes
Located in CABA, AR
The piece captures the essence of the Roman god with a dynamic and elegant pose, showcasing his agility and eloquence.
The figure of Mercury is presented with his right arm extended ...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Metal, Bronze
1950s Bronze Figurative Abstract Sculpture of an Upright Jazz Bass Player
Located in Oakland, CA
Signed cast bronze sculpture by Irma Stoloff and numbered 236/300. Having textured finish figurative abstract sculpture of a upright Jazz bass player resting on painted wood base.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French Bronze Figures Allégorie du Printemps Barbedienne
Located in Newark, England
OPPOSING PAIR OF BRONZE FIGURES
Form our Bronze Sculpture collection, we are delighted to offer this French opposing pair of Bronze Figures Allégorie du Printemps by Ferdinand Barb...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Louis XIV Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Frederick Remington "Bronco Buster" Bronze. American, Circa 1940's
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a circa 1940's second casting of the iconic bronze by Frederick Remington, entitled "Bronco Buster"; originally cast by the Roman Bronze Works Foundry in upstate New York bet...
Category
1940s American Art Nouveau Vintage Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Carving Wooden Sculptures Book End Set Of 2 Decorative Figurine of Book Holders
Located in Wembley, GB
Book Ends Wooden style acrylic Sculptures A Set Of 2 Decorative Figurines of Human Book Holder
Beautifully stylized a set of figurines with a great ba...
Category
1990s Turkish Art Deco Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic, Wood, Fruitwood, Driftwood, Pine, Bog Wood
21st Century Raw Bronze Contemporary Sculpture, 'Emotion' by Margit Wittig
Located in London, GB
This raw bronze sculpture has a natural golden brass finish. The female and male Giacometti-influenced portraits are individual objects and can be positione...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Late 19th Century Bronze Sculpture of a Dancing Satyr/Faun by G. Roth, Germany
Located in North Miami, FL
Late 19th Century Jugendstil bronze sculpture of a dancing Satyr/Faun signed by G. Roth, Germany
By: G. Roth
Material: bronze, copper, tin, metal
Technique: cast, molded, patinated,...
Category
1880s German Jugendstil Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone, Marble, Metal, Bronze, Copper, Tin
18th C. Tibetan Gilt Bronze Green Tara Buddha Statue
Located in Dallas, TX
A Gilt Bronze Tibetan Representation Of A rare Green Tara Buddha Statue. Sounds like there is an item sealed inside.
Gilt Bronze and Copper.
Early 1...
Category
1790s Tibetan Tibetan Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Solid Lucite World Globe Ice Bucket by Alessandro Albrizzi
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful solid lucite ice bucket cube depicting the world captured in a sculpture that resembles an ice cube. The effect displays a frosted world map of continents and orbiting the ...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Lucite
Antique French Grand Tour Bronze Statue Sculpture Napoleon Column Vendome 1860
Located in Portland, OR
A very good antique French patinated bronze Grand Tour model of the Column de Vendome, Paris, circa 1860.
A fine cast bronze model of the famous Paris monument...
Category
1860s French Grand Tour Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Original Art Deco Rene Lalique Victoire Car Mascot
By René Lalique
Located in Northampton, GB
Original Rene Lalique Car Mascot
From our Lalique collection, we are thrilled to offer this original Rene Lalique Victoire Car Mascot. The Mascot fro...
Category
Early 19th Century French Art Deco Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Glass
Bone and Bronze Mounted Knight Sculpture with Marble Base by A. Kéléty, France
Located in North Miami, FL
1930s Art Déco chryselephantine bone and bronze mounted knight sculpture with marble base by Alexandre Kéléty, France
By: Alexandre Kéléty
Material: bronze, bone, marble, stone, met...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone, Marble, Metal, Bronze, Copper, Tin
Clarte Art Deco Dancer Sculpture in Cast Iron by Max Le Verrier France 1928
Located in Ulm, DE
Rare Large Edition of "Clarté" by Max Le Verrier – A True Art Deco Masterpiece
Discover an extraordinary and exceptionally rare large edition of "Clarté" by the legendary Max Le Ver...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Iron
Venetian Bronze Statuette of St. Jerome, 18th/19th Century
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Bronze statuette of St. Jerome, or St Hieronymous, in the manner of the Venetian sculptor Alessandro Vittorio (1525-1608) by the lost wax technique of bronze casting, which leaves a ...
Category
18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Ancient Art, Athletic Male Nude Dynamic Figure , Bronze Sculpture by Dean Kugler
Located in Chicago, IL
This is an extraordinary black bronze sculpture of a male Muay Thai fighter t by artist Dean Kugler. Attention to detail and complete understanding of the hu...
Category
2010s American Futurist Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
19th C. English Bronze of a Beloved Soldier of the H.A.C by Thomas Fowke/s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th Century English Bronze of a Beloved Soldier of the H.A.C by Thomas Fowke/s
Bronze Standing Figure of Captain John P. Field H.A.C (Honourable Artillery Company)
By Thomas Fowke/...
Category
19th Century British Victorian Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Bronze
"The Vision" Brutalist Figural Sculpture by Krishna Reddy
By Krishna Reddy
Located in San Diego, CA
A very cool brutalist sculpture in resin entitled "The Vision" by noted mid-century artist Krishna Reddy, circa 1970s. The piece is in very good condition and measures 14.5"W x 3.5"D...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Resin
Amazing Arts & Crafts Bronze Chandelier w. Snake Sculptures and Alabaster Shades
Located in Lisse, NL
Good size and remarkable, antique bronze and brass five-arms snake pendant light.
This rare and remarkable five-light chandelier is yet another recent great find and offering such a piece in our gallery always is a point of pride. Step into a world of timeless craftsmanship with this breathtaking antique bronze snake chandelier...
Category
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster, Brass, Bronze
German Nude Male Warrior, Otto Schmidt Hofer, ca. 1910
By Otto Schmidt Hofer
Located in Petaluma, CA
A patinated bronze sculpture after German sculptor Otto Schmidt Hofer (1873-1925). Titled, "The Enemy Below." A figural work featuring a handsome nude male Greek...
Category
1910s German Beaux Arts Vintage Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French Bronze Opposing Figures Allégorie du Printemps Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Newark, England
OPPOSING PAIR OF BRONZE FIGURES
Form our Bronze Sculpture collection, we are delighted to offer this French opposing pair of Bronze Figures Allégorie du Printemps by Ferdinand Barb...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Solid Cast Brass Medieval Armored Knight on Horse Sculpture
Located in San Diego, CA
A very cool and well detailed solid cast brass medieval armored knight on horse sculpture, circa 1970s. The piece is in very good vintage condition and...
Category
20th Century American Medieval Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Brass
German Bronze Nude Male Archer, Emil Dittler (1868-1902)
By Emil Dittler
Located in Petaluma, CA
This German nude strongman archer is one of the finest examples of a nude male figure that I have seen in my 50 years of selling antique bronzes. His musculature is perfect and rema...
Category
Early 1900s German Beaux Arts Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Sculpture Concorde Model Scale 1/36
Located in Paris, FR
Concorde Model Scale 1/36 sculpture,
in resin fiber, on aluminium polished base.
From Air France Agency.
On base: height 110cm.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Resin
Signed Clodion "Bacchanalia" Bronze Sculpture Raingo Freres Foundry Marking
Located in Kingston, NY
Signed Clodion "Bacchanalia" patinated bronze sculpture from the 19th century. This exquisite piece was cast by the renowned Raingo Freres foundry, known for its high-quality bronze ...
Category
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Benin African Art Tribal Bronze Relief Sculpture Plaque
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Striking and detailed bronze relief sculpture from Benin, now known as Nigeria, in Africa. This piece was modeled after ancient Benin bronzes, but is from the 20th Century. The intri...
Category
20th Century Beninese Tribal Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Set of Three Large Mid-Century Bronze Japanese Geisha Figurines
Located in San Diego, CA
A very cool set of three 9.5" tall bronze Japanese geisha figurines, circa 1960s. The pieces are very heavy and solid and have a gorgeous dark patina; they would make a great mid-cen...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique Altar Crucifix Detailed Silvered Bronze Sculpture of Christ & Monstrance
Located in Lisse, NL
Unique table crucifix and a wonderful work of religious art.
For us the most powerful statement will always be 'the truth will set you free'. It is what we have learned most from th...
Category
Mid-19th Century European Gothic Revival Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze, Silver
Frederic Remington (after), Large Cast Bronze of The Buffalo Signal on Marble
Located in Morristown, NJ
After Frederic Remington (American, 1861-1909), The Buffalo Signal, cast bronze signed in the base, on a black marble plinth with brass Remington Art Museum plate. This is a genuine ...
Category
2010s American American Classical Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Rare and important painted bronze Crucifix after a model by Michelangelo
By Michelangelo Buonarroti
Located in Leesburg, VA
A rare and very fine bronze corpus of Christ after a model by Michelangelo, cast ca. 1597-1600 by Juan Bautista Franconio and painted in 1600 by Francisco Pacheco in Seville, Spain.
The present corpus reproduces a model attributed to Michelangelo. The best known example, lesser in quality, is one on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET).
The association of this corpus with Michelangelo was first brought to light by Manuel Gomez-Moreno (1930-33) who studied the wider circulated casts identified throughout Spain. The attribution to Michelangelo was subsequently followed by John Goldsmith-Phillips (1937) of the MET and again by Michelangelo expert, Charles de Tolnay (1960).
While Michelangelo is best known for his monumental works, there are four documented crucifixes he made. The best known example is the large-scale wooden crucifix for the Church of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito in Florence, made in 1492 as a gift for the Prior, Giovanni di Lap Bicchiellini, for allowing him to study the anatomy of corpses at the hospital there. In 1562, Michelangelo wrote two letters to his nephew, Lionardo, indicating his intention to carve a wooden crucifix for him. In 1563 a letter between Lionardo and the Italian sculptor Tiberio Calcagni, mentions this same crucifix (a sketch of a corpus on the verso of a sheet depicting Michelangelo’s designs for St. Peter’s Basillica [Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille] may reproduce this). That Michelangelo was working on small corpora in the last years of his life is further evidenced by the small (26.5 cm) unfinished wooden crucifix located at the Casa Buonarroti, considered his last known sculptural undertaking. Michelangelo’s contemporary biographer, Giorgio Vasari additionally cites that Michelangelo, in his later years, made a small crucifix for his friend, Menighella, as a gift.
Surviving sketches also indicate Michelangelo’s study of this subject throughout his career, most notably during the end of his life but also during the 1530s-40s as he deepened his spiritual roots. The occasional cameo of crucified Christ’s throughout his sketched oeuvre have made it challenging for scholars to link such sketches to any documented commissions of importance. All the while, in consideration that such objects were made as gifts, it is unlikely they should be linked with commissions.
Nonetheless, a number of theories concerning Michelangelo’s sketches of Christ crucified have been proposed and some may regard the origin of the present sculpture. It has been suggested that the corpus could have its impetus with Michelangelo’s work on the Medici Chapel, whose exclusive design was given to the master. It is sensible smaller details, like an altar cross, could have fallen under his responsibility (see for example British Museum, Inv. 1859,0625.552). Others have noted the possibility of an unrealized large marble Crucifixion group which never came to fruition but whose marble blocks had been measured according to a sheet at the Casa Buonarroti.
A unique suggestion is that Michelangelo could have made the crucifix for Vittoria Colonna, of whom he was exceedingly fond and with whom he exchanged gifts along with mutual spiritual proclivities. In particular, Vittoria had an interest in the life of St. Bridget, whose vision of Christ closely resembles our sculpture, most notably with Christ’s proper-left leg and foot crossed over his right, an iconography that is incredibly scarce for crucifixes. The suggestion could add sense to Benedetto Varchi’s comment that Michelangelo made a sculpted “nude Christ…he gave to the most divine Marchesa of Pescara (Vittoria Colonna).”
Of that same period, two sketches can be visually linked to our sculpture. Tolnay relates it to a sketch of a Crucified Christ at the Teylers Museum (Inv. A034) of which Paul Joannides comments on its quality as suggestive of preparations for a sculptural work. Joannides also calls attention to a related drawing attributed to Raffaello da Montelupo copying what is believed to be a lost sketch by Michelangelo. Its relationship with our sculpture is apparent. Montelupo, a pupil of Michelangelo’s, returned to Rome to serve him in 1541, assisting with the continued work on the tomb of Pope Julius II, suggesting again an origin for the corpus ca. 1540.
The earliest firm date that can be given to the present corpus is 1574 where it appears as a rather crudely conceived Crucifixion panel, flanked by two mourners in low-relief and integrally cast for use as the bronze tabernacle door to a ciborium now located at the Church of San Lorenzo in Padula. Etched in wax residue on the back of the door is the date, 27 January 1574, indicating the corpus would have at least been available as a model by late 1573.
The Padula tabernacle was completed by Michelangelo’s assistant, Jacopo del Duca and likely has its origins with Michelangelo’s uncompleted tabernacle for the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Rome.
The impetus for the Padula tabernacle’s Crucifixion panel begins with a series of late Crucifixion sketches by Michelangelo, depicting a scene of Christ crucified and flanked by two mourners (see British Museum Inv. 1895.0915.510; Ashmolean Museum Inv. 1846.89, KP II 343 recto; Windsor Castle RCIN 912761 recto; and Louvre Inv. 700). A faintly traced block possibly intended for sculpting the sketch of the crucified Christ on its recto was discovered by Tolnay on a version of the composition at Windsor Castle. The Windsor sketch and those related to it appear to have served as preparatory designs for what was probably intended to become the Basilica of St. Mary’s tabernacle door. Vasari documents that the project was to be designed by Michelangelo and cast by his assistant, Jacopo del Duca. Michelangelo died before the commission was complete, though on 15 March 1565, Jacopo writes to Michelangelo’s nephew stating, “I have started making the bronze tabernacle, depending on the model of his that was in Rome, already almost half complete.” Various circumstances interrupted the completion of the tabernacle, though its concept is later revitalized by Jacopo during preparations to sell a tabernacle, after Michelangelo’s designs, to Spain for Madrid’s El Escorial almost a decade later. The El Escorial tabernacle likewise encountered problems and was aborted but Jacopo successfully sold it shortly thereafter to the Carthusians of Padula.
An etched date, 30 May 1572, along the base of the Padula tabernacle indicates its framework was already cast by then. A 1573 summary of the tabernacle also describes the original format for the door and relief panels, intended to be square in dimension. However, a last minute decision to heighten them was abruptly made during Jacopo’s negotiations to sell the tabernacle to King Phillip II of Spain. Shortly thereafter the commission was aborted. Philippe Malgouyres notes that the Padula tabernacle’s final state is a mixed product of the original design intended for Spain’s El Escorial, recycling various parts that had already been cast and adding new quickly finished elements for its sale to Padula, explaining its unusually discordant quality, particularly as concerns the crudeness of the door and relief panels which were clearly made later (by January 1574).
Apart from his own admission in letters to Spain, it is apparent, however, that Jacopo relied upon his deceased master’s designs while hastily realizing the Padula panels. If Michelangelo had already earlier conceived a crucifix model, and Jacopo had access to that model, its logical he could have hastily employed it for incorporation on the door panel to the tabernacle. It is worth noting some modifications he made to the model, extending Christ’s arms further up in order to fit them into the scale of the panel and further lowering his chin to his chest in order to instill physiognomic congruence. A crude panel of the Deposition also follows after Michelangelo’s late sketches and is likewise known by examples thought to be modifications by Jacopo based upon Michelangelo’s initial sculptural conception (see Malgouyres: La Deposition du Christ de Jacopo del Duca, chef-d’oeuvre posthume de Michel-Ange).
Jacopo’s appropriation of an original model by Michelangelo for more than one relief on the Padula tabernacle adds further indication that the crucifix was not an object unique to Jacopo’s hand, as few scholars have posited, but rather belongs to Michelangelo’s original...
Category
16th Century Renaissance Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Shiva Statue Nataraja Dancing Bronze Sculpture
By Shiva Lingam
Located in Vienna, AT
Shiva is one of the main gods of Hinduism. In Shivism, he is considered to the believers as the most important manifestation of the Supreme. As part of the "Houtuistic Trinity" (Trim...
Category
19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Early 20th Century Art Deco Sculpture "Hoop Girl" by Ferdinand Preiss
Located in London, GB
A charming early 20th Century Art Deco cold painted bronze figure of a young girl in period attire standing holding a hoop behind her back , raised on a shaped marble plinth and sign...
Category
Early 20th Century German Art Deco Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Very Rare Antique Oak Wall Coat Rack w. Acrobatic Jester Figure Hooks, Great Fun
Located in Lisse, NL
Unique and highly decorative wall coat rack with at least ten hooks.
One of the main reasons for people wanting to own antiques is for their decorative appeal and this hand-crafted work-of-art wall rack certainly fits that bill. This good condition wall coat-rack with the finest quality cast iron wall hooks...
Category
Late 19th Century German Victorian Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Iron
Cast Bronze Octopus Sculpture
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
A wonderful example of a hollow-cast bronze octopus. This piece features wonderful detail and resemblance to a real specimen. An exotic piece certain to...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Modern Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Girl with Wheat Bronze Sculpture by Hippolyte Moreau
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a Girl with Wheat bronze sculpture by Hippolyte F. Moreau. He is famous for his bronze statues of young women. He is also the son of another renown French sculptor named Jean Baptiste Moreau. It depicts a young lady with long curly hair who is dressed with a see-through robe. She is holding a basket of wheat with one arm and some branches of them with the other one. She appears to be in the countryside and is observing a pair of doves that are on the ground. The bronze sculpture is standing over two...
Category
20th Century French Art Nouveau Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Sculpture "Venus de Milo" by F. Barbedienne
Located in London, GB
A large and impressive late 19th Century bronze study of the famous Venus de Milo sculpture of antiquity with excellent rich brown patina and good hand finished surface detail, inscribed F.Barbedienne foundry
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Height: 95 cm
Width: 28 cm
Depth: 28 cm
Condition: Excellent Original Condition
Circa: 1890
Materials: Bronze
Foundry: F.Barbedienne
SKU: 7741
ABOUT
The Barbedienne Foundry is a famous 19th century bronze foundry, whose statues and art objects became rapidly very renowned. This bronze studio co-worked with other trades, and put his name to a great variety of works, such as furnishing in particular. Attending every World's Fair of its time, the Barbedienne Foundry was regularly awarded, notably at the World's Fair of 1855 where it was awarded the Great Medal of Honor.
A Parisian bronze maker and caster, Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) creates a firm in 1839 in collaboration with Achille Collas, the inventor of the mechanical method to obtain copies of sculptures at a smaller scale. With this groundbreaking proceed, they facilitated an unprecedented production. Under the “Collas et Barbedienne” name, they specialized in Antiquity copies and perfected new chemical methods for the color and patina finish of their bronzes. As a true Romantic, Ferdinand Barbedienne is committed to democratization of arts, he thus realizes numerous Antiquity copies and stimulates his contemporaries’ works broadcasting. A great deal of famous sculptures are hence cast by the Barbedienne Foundry. All his life, Barbedienne co-worked with the greatest artists, sculptors or designers of his time, such as Edouard Lievre, Ferdinand Levillain, Attarge, Aizelin, Barye or Fremiet.
Statues aside, he products a great deal of decorative artifacts, such as clocks, vases, mirrors, etc. Since 1855, Ferdinand Barbedienne collaborates with the famous decoration designer Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888). Joining the firm as a sculptor-designer, he stays loyal to it his life long, always finding more new designs for daily objects, which hence become true art works. Sevin’s creations, specialized in the “Neo-Greek” style, were particularly appreciated for antiquity reference in decorative arts, just like the great mirror preserved by the Orsay Museum. He also teams up with enamelers including Alfred Serre, and develops a set of “cloisonnés” enamels that made the headlines at the World's Fair of 1862 in London, which was the very beginning of the art of enamel’s return. In collaboration with Serre, Barbedienne realized between 1878 and 1889 the Monumental Clock in Renaissance style, decorated with enamels, which is preserved in the Paris City Hall.
Venus de Milo
Facts about Venus de Milo sculpture.
For much of the world, the mystery of the Venus de Milo lies in her missing arms. But there’s much more to this iconic statue than a couple of absent appendages.
1. Venus de Milo‘s title is a bit misleading.
It’s popularly believed that this Grecian statue depicts the Greek Goddess of love and beauty, who was often rendered half-naked. However, the Greeks would have called this deity Aphrodite. Nonetheless, the Roman-inspired Venus de Milo caught on.
2. She’s named in part for where she was discovered.
On April 8, 1820, a farmer named Yorgos Kentrotas came across the statue in pieces within the ruins of an ancient city on the island of Milos (formerly known as Melos).
3. Alexandros of Antioch is credited with her creation.
A sculptor of the Hellenistic period, Alexandros is believed to have carved this masterpiece between 130 and 100 BCE. The inscription on the plinth—the slab on which the statue rested—that identified him as Venus de Milo‘s creator was lost nearly 200 years ago.
4. She might not be Venus.
Some have suggested the sculpture is not Aphrodite/Venus, but Amphitrite, the sea goddess who was particularly adored on Milos. Still others have proposed she’s Victory, or perhaps a prostitute. With her arms long missing, would-be context clues have been lost for centuries. A spear could have meant one thing, a spool of thread another. If she held an apple—as some reports claim—it could mean she was Aphrodite, holding the award given to her by Paris before the Trojan War began. To this day, it’s a matter of passionate debate.
5. She became a gift to the King of France.
When Kentrotas called upon a French naval officer to help him unearth the spectacular sculpture, he began a chain of events that would eventually lead to the Marquis de Rivière presenting Venus de Milo to Louis XVIII. In turn, the ruler gave the statue to the Louvre, where it is on display to this very day.
6. The loss of her limbs is the fault of the French.
Kentrotas did find fragments of an arm and a hand when he uncovered the statue in the ruins, but as Venus de Milo was being reassembled, those arms were discarded for having a “rougher” appearance. Modern art historians believe that the variation of finish does not mean those arms did not belong to Venus, but both the arms and the original plinth have been lost since the piece moved to Paris in 1820.
7. The original plinth was ditched on purpose.
Sight unseen, early 19th century art historians decided the newly discovered Venus must have been the work of Greek artist Praxiteles, and publicized the work as such. This attribution would have placed the piece in the Classical period (5th through 4th centuries BCE), which was more respected artistically than the Hellenistic period. To save face and better promote Venus de Milo—even at the cost of misinforming the public—the plinth was removed before it was presented to the King.
8. Venus de Milo was meant to make up for a national embarrassment.
During his conquests, Napoleon Bonaparte had plundered one of the finest examples of Greek sculpture, Venus de’ Medici, from Italy. In 1815, the French government returned that beloved sculpture, but in 1820, France embraced the chance to fill the hole its absence left in the French culture and national pride. As such, Venus de Milo was promoted as being even greater than Venus de’ Medici upon her Louvre debut. The ploy worked, and the piece was met with almost universal praise from artists and critics.
9. Renoir was not impressed.
Perhaps the most famous of Venus de Milo‘s detractors, the celebrated Impressionist painter dismissed this delicate depiction of grace and female beauty as “a big gendarme.”
10. She went into hiding during World War II.
By the autumn of 1939, war threatened to descend on Paris, so Venus de Milo along with some other priceless pieces, such as Winged Victory of Samothrace and Michelangelo’s Slaves, were whisked away for safekeeping at various châteaux in the French countryside.
11. She’s been robbed!
Venus is missing more than just her arms. She was originally draped in jewellery including a bracelet, earrings and a headband. These flourishes are long lost, but the holes for fixing them to the piece remain in the marble, giving clues to the missing accessories.
12. She lost her colour.
While it’s easy for today’s art admirers to think of Greek statues as white, the marble was often painted in the style of polychromy. However, no trace of the original paint scheme remains on Venus de Milo today.
13. She’s taller than most people.
Even with her slight slouch, Venus de Milo stands at 6 feet 8 inches tall.
14. She could be a copy.
Art historians have noted that Venus de Milo bears a striking resemblance to Aphrodite of Capua, which is a Roman era copy of a possibly late 4th century BCE bronze Greek original. That would be at least 170 years before Alexandros carved his goddess, leading some to speculate that both statues are actually replicas of an older statue...
Category
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Amazing Gothic Revival Bronze Chandelier with Flying Phoenix Firebird Sculptures
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Large and remarkable, phoenix arms, five-light chandelier with unique, stylish and multi-colored alabaster shades.
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Category
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Located in Yonkers, NY
A vintage Greco-Roman style bronze nude statue from the 20th century with verde patina and wooden pedestal base. Created with the traditional technique o...
Category
20th Century Greco Roman Cast Figurative Sculptures
Materials
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