South German or Tyrolean, circa 1600

mounted on modern bronze stand

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good with some minor wear to the patina consistent with age including a few minor nicks. There are some spots of greening to the patina, particularly to the chest. There are some remants of an old dark lacquer on the surface. The fingers of both hands have been professionally restored. The stand is broken.
"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."

The cast of this Northern bronze is solid.  The torso is rectangular in its presentation and the treatment of the muscles is very linear. The folds of the perizonium in contrast are soft with added punchwork. The physiognomy is distinctive with the addition of a moustache, a feature which is not found amongst the Italian masters of the period. The eyes are drilled.

The facture of the present corpus points to a South German or Tyrolean workshop of the late sixteenth to early seventeenth century, possibly associated with the circle of Hubert Gerhard. An interesting comparison  in particular to the treatment of the physiognomy can be made with the portraits by Gerhard and his circle as in the lead figure of the emperor Rudolf II ascribed to a South German workshop of the early seventeenth century in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna and the bust of the Archduke Maximilian II attributed to Hubert Gerhard, both illustrated in the Tiroler Landesmuseum exhibition catalogue.

RELATED LITERATURE
Ruhm und Sinnlichkeit, Innsbrucker Bronzeguss1500-1650, exh.cat. Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum (Innsbruck, 1996) nos. 72, 78