Pierce Francis Connelly

Overall the condition is very good. There are some naturally occurring veins in the marble, including one very slightly visible vein running from the forehead to the chin. This vein is slightly open above the hairline. There are a few chips to the marble socle.
"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."

Pierce Francis Connelly was born in the frontier town of Grand Coteau in Louisiana, but moved to Europe as a child and received his schooling in England and Italy. Connelly studied art in Paris and Florence and was a pupil of the great American sculptor Hiram Powers. He was well known for his portraits and ideal works and the present bust can be closely compared to his portrait of Julia Blatchford Potter in the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D. C. Both busts are given a neo-Renaissance rendering and display the sculptor's exquisite skills in the carving of the patterns in the drapery. Connelly rose to prominence in the United States after he contributed eleven works to the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. 

RELATED LITERATURE
T. Tolles, American Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, vol I, New York, 1999, pp. 182-4