Neoclassical Sculptures

Cover hollow-ware sculptural angel figurines or bookends. Each boy is seated on a plinth with a tablet in hand and outstretched wings at the backside. A fun addition to any setting...

Marble Busts of Roman on pedestal. Early 19th Century

A Late 19th french verdigris bronze group of Arab Hunter on Horseback. Cast from the model by Alfred Barye and Emile Guillemin, Late 19th Century, wearing elaborate costume and with ...

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...

A 19th-century patinated bronze figure of the Berlin Adorante, or Praying Boy. The piece is a reduction of the Hellenistic-era original, currently in t...

Vintage Italian Neoclassical Style Faux Marble Cast Resin Composition Winged Cherub Putti Sculpture after Auguste Moreau. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 25" H x 9" W x 10" D.

Sweet bronze sculpture by Mark Hopkins of a father and son. Father lovingly tossing son in the air capturing a moment in time we can all relate to. Perfect for that special dad and w...

A mounted antique carved wooden cartouche mould from the Tucker collection. This is one of many moulds we are selling from this vast collection assembled by British make-up artist, C...

A beautifully proportioned pair of malachite obelisks in richly veined shades of green and black. The sculptural silhouettes and naturally dramatic stone movement give the pair a qui...

A fine and unusual pair of Art Deco hexagon form cut rock crystal obelisks, beautifully hand-cut and hand-polished, Paris.

An impressive pair of large Ashford black marble "pietra dura" obelisks from the early C19th when there was great interest in the Grand Tour' decorative art style and keen tourists o...

An exceptional and very high quality French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu and white Carrara marble statue of Cupid offering a rose to Psyche. The statue is raised on a rectan...

An antique Italian torso of a Roman male in hand carved Carrara marble and mounted onto a black marble base, in good condition. The Italian décor represe...

A Bronze Sculpture of A Stalking Tiger with Brown Patina on a Mottled Marble Plinth. Amazing details and realistic. Measures 18" in width, 4.5" in depth and 9" tall overall. 17" W x ...

Lovely lifesize terracotta figure of Venus in her bath set upon a rectangular pedestal.

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...

Neoclassic French large and very heavy solid bronze lion on a marble base. No markings. Very detailed and lovely made. O-636-335

A beautifully proportioned marble obelisk in richly veined shades of green and grey. The sculptural silhouette and naturally dramatic stone movement give the piece a quietly architec...

The circular white-enameled dial signed ”Detour Paris” with Roman hours and Arabic quarter marks, a further inner Arabic chapter ring for the day of month. Pierced gilt hands and a b...

The vintage porcelain or ceramic dove figurines feature finely detailed bodies, artfully hand painted with light green accents on bright white majolica glaze, creating a reserved, natural color palette of white and tone-on-tone green. The birds are realistically sculpted with wide, flowing tails, standing calmly with their heads slightly turned. They are not mirror images of each other; each presents subtle differences in posture, adding visual interest and another layer of complexity to the set. Highly detailed figurines convey a touch of historical elegance and whimsical charm of traditional Italian country style. Each sculpture is marked with ITALY and model numbers on the inner surfaces. While many Italian artists and studios created their version of dove figurine, most of them are stylistically different from this pair; Bitossi and Zaccagnini birds have more streamlined, Modernist silhouettes, and the doves created for Raymor were less detailed and intentionally less realistic, as well as most often marked with distributor name in writing. We're attributing the pair to Mottahedeh, who sourced Italian majolica in similar style; the pieces will be simply marked ITALY and Mottahedeh will add their paper stickers. As the sculptures are quite old, the stickers often get lost or destroyed. The convenient size and small footprint allows the set to be used in a multiple ways, such as dining room centerpiece, console table accent, shelf or fireplace mantel decoration...

Italian Neoclassical Grand Tour Patinated Bronze figure of “Resting Satyr,” After Praxiteles, Signed A. Röhrich Roma, amazing cast and detail The figure is cast as a standing nude s...

French bronze sculpture of Cupid after Auguste Moreau (1834-1917)

Terracotta Bust of a Young Roman Ephebe, Signed “Amphora” — Neoclassical Style. This striking terracotta bust of a young Roman ephebe, signed “Amphora,” is a refined example of neoc...

Pair 19th Century French Monumental Obelisks. Exquisite design, must see photos.

This unique Hollywood Regency style lamp base features a bold artichoke/acanthus leaf design with rich brown tones and an antique gold glaze, giving it a luxe, sculptural look. It's ...

A pair of beautiful gilt bronze maidens representing Music and the Art.s Music holds a lyre, known for its use in Greek classical antiquity, in her left hand and is bringing her rig...

A fine casting of the Abduction of the Sabine Woman after Giambologna (1529-1608), mounted on marble pedestal with bronze relief of the same subject matter, placed on wooden pedestal...

This fine bronze cast, with a golden patina, represents and 18th century bronze version of the famous ancient marble 'Satyr with young Bacchus' that was formerly in the Farnese colle...

This impressive pair of vintage Neoclassical black marble obelisks by Maitland Smith features dramatic architectural forms accented by elaborate gilt-metal detailing. Each obelisk ri...

Italian Neoclassical Carved Giltwood Iron Mounted Applique/Trophy of Music Museum mounted as a table top sculpture Italy, 1960s The exquisite beaut...

An excellent pair of mid 19th Century French bronze ‘Marly Horses’ after Guillaume Coustou – the bronzes with fine rich brown vaiegated patination lightly rubbed to a golden brown ...

A white statuary marble sculpture of the bathing Venus after the antique, sourced from the estate of the late David Cornwell, best known at the author John le Carré. Dating to circa...

A magnificent Carrara marble bust of Ajax. Exquisite rendering of the Greek hero featuring elaborate helmet. On an associated square base. Measures: Height 37 1/2 inches Width 19 in...

18th Century Italian Marble Bust of Caesar Augustus. His draped robe is hand-carved in red rosso levanto marble with the face modelled in contrasting white Carrara marble. The piece ...

A refined bisque porcelain sculpture of a reclining ram by Mottahedeh, produced in Italy. The figure is rendered in a matte black finish, emphasizing the flowing texture of the anima...

This set of three ducks finely chiseled is made of silvered bronze. This is a French work. Circa 1970 (Each duck can be sold separately) Additional Information: Material: Bronze Per...

Napoleon as Caesar Weathered Terracotta Bust, 20th Century.

Pair of 19th century Italian Neoclassical style marble obelisks. Classic pair of Antique Italian marble obelisks with a crest. These Italian Neoclassical style marble obelisks would...

Monumental French modernist bronze sculpture depicting a stylized female torso in contrapposto stance. Executed in the tradition of Mid 20th century French modern classical sculpture...

19th century bronze sculpture of a nude Ares, God of war and courage. One of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera, he embodies the physical valor necessary for success....

Mid to early 20th century brown painted chalkware figurine / short vase in the shape of tall neoclassical / art nouveau styled woman carrying water ...

Beautiful colourful handpainted blown glass Holiday figurines of Sea horses as Christmas decorations and collectibles.

This decorative torso with an antique bronze finish is a striking sculptural piece that brings classical elegance to any sophisticated interior setting. The masculine silhouette is r...

An elegant vintage crystal glass gazing globe with a softly luminous presence. Hand-crafted from solid crystal glass, this spherical form feature...

A magnificent half-scale 19th C. carved marble statue of Napoleon Bonaparte standing with one hand in his jacket. Signed Prof. A. Petrilli, Firenze by the Italian sculptor, Aristide ...

Finely Cast Bronze Abraham Lincoln Profile Bust Bookend or Doorstop, in the Style of Victor David Brenner, ca. 1930s Bronze Lincoln Bookend or Doorst...

Austrian bronze dog (ashtray and phosphor) Artist: F. Gornik sealed at its base circa 1900 perfect condition.

Gorgeous vintage advertising display restaurant sign French cook figure, 55”.

Neoclassical Parian porcelain bisque cast Roman/Greek Figurine Neoclassical figurines of a draped Roman or Greek couple. The pair consists of a female muse & a draped Roman or Greek ...

A beautifully proportioned black and grey faux-marbled patterned obelisk with brass mounts. The sculptural silhouette and marbling detail give the piece a quietly architectural prese...

Fortunato Galli (Italian, 1850-1918) "Sea Nymph", White Marble Sculpture, late 19th century, signed "F. Galli"on a carved white marble pedestal. Sculpture: 64" H x 18" W x 16" D; ove...

Beautiful blown glass Florida pink flamingo figurines with feathers Holiday ornaments collectibles.

A late 19th century Italian statuary marble sculpture of a neoclassical maiden wearing a headdress and carrying two ceremonial torches or standard bearers as if in procession. She is...

A handsome hand-carved alabaster style sculpture of an Olympian athlete preparing to hurl a disc, probably 20th century. Possibly soapstone or resin, but resembles alabaster. This st...

A mounted antique carved wooden cartouche mould from the Tucker collection. This is one of many moulds we are selling from this vast collection assembled by British make-up artist, C...

A weathervane in the form of a running horse, that was likely modeled after "Dexter" circa late 19th century on a custom display stand. The full body molded horse has a gilt surface with verdigris patina. Not entirely sure of the maker but possible by L. W. Cushing & Co. In Waltham or Harris. Co in Boston. The surface has been re-gilt historically likely dated from early 20th century. A lovely piece that transcends American fold art...

Timeless pineapple motife cast cement finials or acorns having marvelous aged and verdigris patina. The imperfections where some of the cement has chipp...

Pair of fine porcelains (couple dignitaries) circa 18th century origin Europe possible restoration in your hand (old) one of them has the letters L.G...

This large majolica lion figurine was made by Porcelain de Cuernavaca for the Mottahedeh company, known for their ceramic antique reproductions and his...

A mid 19th century statuary marble sculpture of the ‘Dying Gaul’ after the antique. This marble sculpture is a scale depiction of the larger Dying Gaul marble statue, currently loca...