A Doccia porcelain model of three putti and a tiger, circa 1747-52

modelled by Gaspero Bruschi, in the white, upon a gilt wooden base mounted with four porcelain paw feet and six putti masks,

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Carola Perrotti, Porcellana di Doccia alla Floridiana, in Arte Illustrata, n. 49, 1972, pp. 218-224;
Klaus Lankheit, Die Modellsammlung der Porzellanmanufaktur Doccia, 1982, p. 160;
D. Zikos, A. d'Agliano, Sculpture at Doccia, in the context of the early European Porcelain Manufactories, J. Kräftner (ed.), Baroque Luxury Porcelain, exh. catalogue, Liechtenstein Museum, Vienna, 2005, pp. 143-144, pp. 457-458;
R. Balleri, I Soldani, Del Marchese Clemente Vitelli, in Paragone, 74, 2007, pp. 62-73; A. d'Agliano, in Importanti porcellane e maioliche di Giampaolo Luckacs cit. p. 108, n. 246.

The group has been professionally cleaned by a restorer. Photographs of this process are available if required please contact the department. The group is formed of four loose separate pieces consisting of three putti figures and the tiger base. The pieces can be de-assembled and are not secured together. The putti figures, going from left to right in the catalogue illustration: the first figure (holding a bunch of grapes in his right hand) The sole of his right foot with a glazed hole. His left foot, two middle toes re-stuck, a third middle toe replaced. Right leg, probably re-stuck at top of thigh, small areas of filling along crack line. chip to genitals. Left leg with an old attached metal aperture at shin, secured with modern plaster agent. left thumb and smallest finger lacking, flat chip to middle left finger. One glazed hole to his right buttock. Right raised arm broken into two parts and re-stuck. Crack around left shoulder, perhaps extension of firing crack at armpit where there is evidence of an old securing agent. Head re-attached at neck. the second (middle) figure: One toe on right foot chipped. right thumb and index finger lacking. some flat chips to billowing fabric at side. some scattered patches of glaze-wear to back, right leg and back of head. The underside of the figure filled with a pierced plaster support which has discoloured with age (partially visible in illustration) the third figure: His left big toe lacking, flat chip to left thigh. Section of right heel lacking and pierced. Two flat chips to left hand. Right thumb lacking. some minor scattered patches of glaze-wear. The base with tiger and mask. In over-all good condition. There are chips to most of the applied leaves. There are chips to the tiger's right ear. At the top of the tiger's back there is a glazed pierced hole with a metal aperture secured in place by an old plaster and straw agent which fills the deepest part of the hollow underside of the model. There are two glazed holes to the rockwork base located behind the tiger's right front leg. There is a metal aperture secured at rear right to support the third putto figure with two modern plaster agents added to further support the figure. The wooden base, probably later. The porcelain mounts 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."

This group is probably related to a series of 'gruppi baccanali' models listed in the Doccia Inventario de'Modelli, pagina 87, no. 4
(published by Lankheit, op. cit., 1982, p.160).

In the mid-1730's the Marchese Carlo Ginori founded the Doccia porcelain factory in Sesto Fiorentino, Florence. In 1737 the sculptor Gaspero Bruschi was made director of the sculpture department at the factory.

In a letter dating to 27th February 1747, preserved in the Archivo Ginori Lisci, Florence, referenced by d'Agliano, op. cit., 2005, p.458; op. cit., 2007, p.70, Bruschi writes to Carlo Ginori of two recently modelled groups:

‘… Io poi ho fatto, secondo gli ordini da Vostra Eccellenza datimi, il gruppo dei puttini con la tigre e ne vado facendo un altro ( che è quasi finito) con una capra e/o altra maschera, e ho mutata l’attitudine dei medesimi putti che ancora essi scherzano con uva e foglie, che non resta di minor bizzarria di codesto, che è fatto per suo compagno’, [Since following Your Excellency’s orders, I have made the Group of Puttini with a Tiger and am making another one (which is almost finished) with a goat and another mask, and I have changed the pose of the putti themselves, who again play with grapes and leaves, which is no less bizarre than the one I made for its companion].

The composition of the present model is comparable to a model which depicts three putti resting on the back of a goat, which is similarly modelled with a rough rockwork oval base applied with realistic leaves and bunches of grapes, an example of which is in the collection of the Museo Duca di Martini, Naples, illustrated by A. Perrotti, op. cit., 1972, no. 6. It seems likely that the present model and the one in Naples are the models mentioned in Bruschi’s 1747 letter. The model is discussed by Balleri in her article where she also illustrates a plaster model (no. 41) which seemingly is the prototype for the present group.

A comparable example of the present model, though only featuring two putti and modelled in a slightly different pose, was in the collection of Giampaolo Lukacs, sold in Sotheby's Milan, 18th April 2007, lot 246, (illustrated by d’Agliano, op. cit., 2005, p. 143.; Balleri, op. cit., 2007, no. 40).