Alessandro Biggi

Overall the condition of the marble is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are naturally occurring inclusions including to the neck, chin and legs. There are minor chips including one to the drapery at the back. Minor chips and abrasions to the base.
"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."

Alessandro Biggi attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara from 1862, winning numerous prizes and awards. He exhibited in Paris in 1877, where his fame started to spread. Biggi was appointed professor at the Academy in Carrara in 1885, where he taught until just before his death. He also exhibited in London in 1888, and received several private commissions throughout the years, including a large number of funerary sculptures in Argentina and Egypt. 

The present marble is a charming and humorous group of a mother preparing her struggling infant for bath time. The mother's loving and amused facial expression and the child's indignant outrage make for a very realistic and intimately familiar composition. 

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani dell'Ottocento e del Primo Novecento, Turin, 2003, p. 92