Francesco Barzaghi

Overall the condition is very good. There is some dirt to the surface including some small spots of black paint to the sculpture. There is some wear to the surface including minor chips to the edges of the drapery. The toes of the baby's left foot have been reattached. There is a large filled inclusion to the woman's right arm. There is a small loss to the baby's necklace and a lost bead to the woman's necklace. There is a small reattached section to the woman's index finger of her right hand and a few small abrasions to that hand and wrist. There are two original separately carved sections to the base. There may have been losses to the reeds at the back. There are some chips to the white marble base of the sculpture. The column is modern and appears to be in good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Francesco Barzaghi was a key sculptor in the Scapigliatura movement in Milan. He was ambitious and prolific, contributing in as many international exhibitions as possible, always to great acclaim. His Mosé salvato dale acque was shown at the World Fairs of Vienna in 1873 and Philadelphia in 1876. The popularity of the piece is attested to by the postcards that were produced depicting it at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Showing at these important fairs was a way of garnering commissions and a few versions of the Mosé are known. However the date on the present marble of 1870 would suggest that it predates other known versions and it may in fact be the marble shown at Vienna and Philadelphia. Another version was acquired by the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

This life-size marble is a very imposing sculpture, intended to amaze and impress. It displays all of Barzaghi's distinctively adept carving skills, as he revels in the myriad textures of cloth, basketry, jewels, hair and flesh.

Barzaghi studied at the Accademia di Brera before working on the project for the Duomo of Milan, where he was employed in carving saints. He is well-known for his numerous monuments such as his Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II in Lodi. Having built an international reputation for himself, Barzaghi was given a post as professor at the Accademia di Brera in 1880 and continued to teach there until his death in 1892.

RELATED LITERATURE
V. Vicario, Gli scultori italiani, Lodi, 1994, vol. 1, pp. 8-98; A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori italiani, Turin, 2003, vol. 1, p. 76, fig. 139