Attributed to Caspar Gras (circa 1585-1674) Austrian, Innsbruck, circa 1630-1640

Overall the condition of the bronze is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few minor fissures, including to Europa's face and neck. There are a number of slightly visible original joints, including to the tops of Europa's arms; her ankles; and at the bull's legs and tail. There are original plugs, including in Europa's arms, buttocks, proper left leg and hip; and in the bull's belly, tail, legs and proper left hip. There are some larger plugs in the bull's proper right side (behind the front leg), proper left horn, proper left hip, and tail; and at Europa's proper left hand. There are two holes in Europa's buttocks and two in the bull's back, which are concealed when Europa is placed on the bull. There are holes in the bulls ears. The fruit are cast separately to the cornucopia and are held in place by a pin. The tip of the cornucopia is cast separately, there is a restored slightly open joint and missing pins. There is an open joint where Europa's proper left hand meets the cornucopia, there are fissures here and a lacuna, where Europa may have held an additional attribute. There are remnants of original gilding and reddish-brown lacquers. There are some patches of greening to the fruit and some dark spots to the patina elsewhere. There is wear to the patina at the bull's proper right side and proper right horn. There is original subtle brushwork to the surface of Europa and stippling to much of the surface of the bull. There is wear and minor splitting to the wood base consistent with material.
"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."

This superb bronze representing Europa and the Bull compares closely with the work of the great Austrian 17th-century sculptor Caspar Gras (1585-1674). Gras was one of Hubert Gerhard's most talented assistants, and went on to introduce his master's Baroque style to Austria, receiving multiple important commissions from the court of Archduke Leopold V (1586-1632), including the celebrated Leopold Fountain in Innsbruck of 1623-30.

The present bronze was clearly created by a talented sculptor who was very familiar with Hubert Gerhard's oeuvre. Europa's physiognomy is reminiscent of that of the river goddess Der Brunnbach in his Augustus Fountain in Augsburg of 1590-94. Note the similar pert, full, breasts, the fleshy abdomen and the ovoid facial type with straight nose. The mannerist pose and the addition of the cornucopia also draw parallels. There are numerous other works by Gerhard, which form relevant comparisons, including his Nessus and Deianira of 1605.

The three mythological figures on Gras' Leopold Fountain are the clearest comparisons for the present bronze. The figure of Diana is particularly close in terms of body type, again with the rounded breasts and fleshy creases at the abdomen. Gras has even included a stag with protrouding tongue, which recalls the bull in the present bronze. In terms of composition, each of the goddess' have similar mannerist poses to the Europa, in particular the Diana who likewise raises one arm, whilst the other is lowered. Each of the goddess' exhibit the same dextrous elongated fingers as Europa, particularly the demi-god Leda, who clutches her drapes. It is this detail in particular, the superbly delineated fingers, which marks the present bronze out as being by a first rate sculptor, and place it in alignment with Gras' oeuvre.

In terms of scale a strong comparison is found in the bronze Mercury and Psyche in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, which is attributed to Gras (inv. no. Pl. 5859). The facial type is, in fact, very close, especially with the open mouth and similarly low hairline. The virtuoso casting in the hair is a further shared characteristic. There is a larger version of the Mercury and Psyche in the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest (inv. no. 5360), which has a similar brassy patina. This colouration is seen in a number of bronzes by Gras, including in the Kicking Horse in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (inv. no. 85.SB.72). The lively, stylised, presentation of the horse is analagous to the present bull, despite the latter being more placid. The ears of the bull are very close to those of the pendant to the horse, the Roaring Lion, Pouncing, of which there is a cast in the Hill Collection (Wengraf, op. cit., no. 26). Finally, the pearls in Europa's hair form a further detail which recalls Gras' bronzes, they also appear in his Sitting Woman in the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Brunswick (Krahn, op. cit., no. 170).

RELATED LITERATURE
V. Krahn, Von allen seiten schön. Bronzen der Renaissance und des Barock, exh. cat. Bode Museum, Berlin, 1995, pp. 476-477, no. 170; Ruhm und sinnlichkeit. Innsbrucker bronzeguss 1500-1650 von Kaiser Maximilian I. eis Erzherzog Ferdinand Karl, exh. cat. Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck, 1996, pp. 269-334, no. 88; D. Diemer, Hubert Gerhard und Carlo di Cesare del Palagio. Bronzeplastiker der Spätrenaissance, Berlin, 2004, vol. ii, pp. 215-217, 395-397, figs. 30-33, 211-213, nos. G8, G17; P. Wengraf (ed.), Renaissance and Baroque Bronzes from the Hill Collection, London, 2014, no. 26, pp. 276-284