Pair of 18th c. Bronze Centaurs by G. Nisini, Rome

Italian Neo-classic style (20th Cent) bronze figure of a Centaur with raised hand and holding a staff with a dark brown patina (similar to BAS012)

Italian Neo-classic style (20th Cent) bronze bearded figure of a Centaur having both hands tied behind his back with a dark patina. (similar to BAS011)

19th century Roman bronze statue of a woman. Italian Grand Tour bronze. Mark and foundry: G. Nisini, Roma. Good dark antique patina, circa 1860-188...

Beautifully cast bronze copies of the Furietti Centaurs, one elder and one younger. Each is mounted on a bronze base and both are unsigned with no foundry marks. These bronzes are copies of the two Roman (or Hellenistic) monumental marble versions excavated at Hadrian's Villa in December 1736 by Monsignor Giuseppe Alessandro Furietti. The original models now reside at the Capitoline Museum in Rome. These bronzes were a popular subject for collecting in both the 18th and 19th century Grand Tour periods. Engravings of the pair were widely disseminated in Europe in the 18th century which increased their fame. Provenance: The Estate of John Nelson, a noted Los Angeles antiques dealer...