Attributed to Paolo Naldini (1605-1650) Italian, Rome, second half 17th century

Evan Gorga, Rome, 1911;
private collection, England

Rome, Castel Sant' Angelo, Exposizione Internazionale, 1911

Guida generale delle mostre restrospettive in Castel Sant'Angelo, exhib. cat. Exposizione Internazionale, Rome, 1911, pp. 235 and 237

There is dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age, including a few chips and scratches. The surface of the terracotta has been convered in a layer of slip. There is a stable, possibly restored, fissure running along the proper right side of the torso, face and chin. There may be further restorations, including to the proper left side of the face, nose and back of the head. The full nature of any restorations is unclear, due to the slip. There are a few visible firing cracks, including to the proper left side of the drapery. There a couple of holes and loose pieces of terracotta to the underside.
"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 handling of the overall composition with swathe of drapery enveloping the base of the bust and the treatment of the eyes and hair are similar to the work of Paolo Naldini and can be compared with several portrait busts made by him in the 1670's and 1680's. Compare three busts: one of Annibale Carracci made for the Pantheon and now in the Promoteca Capitolina, of which there is a terraoctta model in the Hermitage, St Petersburg; another bust of James Adam Gibbs in the Pantheon; and the bust of Gaspare Maraccioni in S. Maria del Suffragio, Rome (Bacchi, op. cit. pp. 829-30, pls. 652-4, 657).

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Bacchi (ed.), Scultura del'600 a Roma, Milan, 1996, pp. 829-830; E. B. di Gioia, Le collezioni di scultura del Museo di Roma, il Seicento, Rome, 2002, p. 126