Cast from a model by Francesco Fanelli (1577- after 1657) Anglo-Italian, second half 17th century

Wildenstein, Hôtel de Wailly, 57 rue de la Boétie, Paris

This beautifully chased and finished cast of Fanelli's model of a grazing stallion has a light brown patina unlike the more typical deep brown with black laquer surfaces commonly found on his bronzes. The carefully chased surface is also quite different to his more typical waxy treatment and it may well prove that this particular bronze was produced in an expert foundry in the later 17th century, possibly even in France. Fanelli altered the model to produce a variant where the horse drinks from a trough and also depicted horses trotting, rearing and galloping: the Duke of Newcastle, one of Fanelli's most consistent patrons, purchased casts of all these models for Welbeck Abbey where they remained until they were dispersed at auction in the 18th century.

RELATED LITERATURE
J.Pope-Hennessy, 'Some Bronze Statuettes by Francesco Fanelli' in Burlington Magazine, XCV, May 1953, pp.157-162