After François Duquesnoy

A major work by the Belgian sculptor François Duquesnoy, St Andrew was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII as one of a group of sculptures designed to focus on four relics which were among the most important to the Roman Catholic Church: Veronica’s veil, the point of Longinus’s lance, a fragment of the Cross and the head of Andrew the Apostle. The project, directed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, comprised four altars placed by the pillars of the crossing of the transept of St Peter’s Basilica, each surmounted by a monumental marble. Completed in 1640, Duquesnoy’s St Andrew enjoyed immediate fame and became the prototype for portrayals of the saint, subsequently revisited by many artists: shown half-clothed and leaning against the instrument of his martyrdom, a saltire cross, his left arm and his gaze raised to the heavens, with an expressive quality that is entirely Roman.

The present terracotta is very faithful to Duquesnoy’s original, suggesting that the sculptor of this statuette was very close to the Flemish artist. Some of the details differ, however, for example the treatment of the drapery and the absence of the upper part of the cross behind the martyr. However, the fine modelling of the saint’s body is noteworthy, as is the detailed treatment of the beard and hair.

This lot has an artistic export license. Please refer to the specialist department for further information about export procedures and shipping costs.