Vincenzo Gemito

Overall the condition of the terracotta is very good. There is dirt and some minor wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few small stable firing cracks including a number that were filled with a reddish wash to the proper right ear, neck and to either side of the nose. There are some slight discolourations to both cheeks.
"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 bust can be closely compared to several other terracotta busts by Gemito dating from the early 1870s. These pieces belong to the first part of the sculptor's career, before his long illness and subsequent shift in style. These early busts rely more on soft modelling than the strong delineation which characterises Gemito's later works. A group of five terracotta busts in the Museo di San Martino, Naples, from the collection of Beniamino and Paolo Rotondo typify the artist's approach at this period. The modelling is extremely subtle with the brows and the edges of the lips barely defined. The subjects are suffused with a gentle melancholy which suits their soft technique and creates a highly evocative impression. The present bust also relates closely to a portrait bust of Giuseppina Strepponi from 1873 in the collection of the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti - Fondazione Giuseppe Verdi, Milan. The two portraits share a distinctively bright and mottled colouration, 'ragged' truncation and feature the subtly suggested intricacies of lace.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Pagano, Gemito, exh. cat., Museo Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortes, Naples, 2009, nos. 4a-e & 18, pp. 86-7 & 110-111