Antonio Frilli

Overall the condition of the marble is very good. There is minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age, including some small chips and scratches. Romeo's proper right index finger and the corner of the collar on his cape are replaced. There are possible restorations to his hat, the letter in his hand and to the rope ladder. There are a few small losses including to the tip of the feather in Romeo's hat. There are a number of small naturally occurring inclusions in the marble and some minor veining. There are small chips to the edges of 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."

The present marble depicts the reluctant parting of the tragic lovers at Juliet's famous balcony. Romeo sets one foot on the rope ladder, but retains a firm grasp of the balustrade, whilst Juliet leans close and clings to him for one final parting kiss. The intricate and precarious nature of the composition seems to defy the unyielding marble from which it has been expertly carved. Italian sculptors of the late 19^th century were renowned for their ability to carve such impressive feats of illusion and Antonio Frilli was one of the foremost exponents of these extremes of technical skill. Every surface has been carefully rendered and distinguished by a differing treatment from the next. The sculpture is carved fully in the round, with foliage sprouting from all the nooks and crannies of the rockwork base.

The sculpture is indebted to Frilli's fellow Florentine, Pasquale Romanelli's, version of the subject. However, Frilli has eschewed the decorous demeanour of Romanelli's protagonists for something altogether more theatrical and emotive. Romanelli's Juliet maintains a polite distance from her lover and is dressed in full renaissance costume, complete with an elaborately starched lace collar. Frilli's Juliet appears to be wearing only a shawl and nightdress, which slips off her shoulder as she desperately embraces Romeo. Perhaps Frilli's sculpture takes its inspiration from contemporary painted versions of the subject. In particular, it appears to make reference to Hans Makart (1840-1884) and his melodramatic rendering of Romeo and Juliet, bought by the Austrian Emperor for the Vienna Museum. Both painter and sculptor have emphasised the youth of the couple and made the physical precariousness of the descent from the balcony the central motif of their images. The inscription of Antonio Frilli Florenz, suggests that the marble was carved for a German-speaking patron, who would have been familiar with the painting and appreciative of the allusion to it.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori italiani, vol. II, Turin, 2003, p. 377