British or Italian, 18th century After the Antique

the base inscribed: M. BRUTUS and M.A. SENECA

Castletown, County Kildare, Ireland, until 1965;
Prehen House, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland;
the present owners

Overall the condition of the marble is good with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is particular dirt to the crevices, including some remnants of white pigment to the collar bones of Seneca and the ear of Brutus. There are some pencil marks to the nostrils of Seneca and the lower lip of Brutus. There are chips to the corners of the truncation of Seneca as well as several minor chips along the edges of the base. There are a few minor abrasions, including around the neck of Brutus and to his forehead, and to the upper lip of Seneca. There is some naturally occurring veining visible on the surface at Brutus's forehead. There are a few minor naturally occurring inclusions on the surface of the marble, including to Brutus's nose and the proper left side of his neck. The busts seem to have been carved separately but meant to be joined together. They are mounted on the base with plaster. Overall the condition of the base is good with surface dirt throughout. There are remnants of an old label on the side of Brutus, and there is naturally occurring veining throughout.
"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 unusual double herm bust with Brutus and Seneca, 'Man of Thought and Man of Action,' comes from the magnificent Irish 18th-century country house, Castletown, completed in the 1770's. The provenance and the subject matter of the marble indicate that it was probably made in Italy by a sculptor catering to the tastes of visiting Grand Tourists. Portrait busts of notable ancient figures proved popular with neoclassical audiences and were widely copied by sculptors. The Seneca is modelled on one of the numerous antique heads thought to represent the philosopher in the 18th century, perhaps the same that inspired Francis Harwood (1727-1783) for his version of the subject, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (A.26-1948). Interestingly, the classical model for the frowning ‘Brutus’, examples of which are in the Louvre and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptothek, Copenhagen, is today identified as the Athenian orator Demosthenes. In an innovative gesture, the heads were joined in the ancient Roman fashion of double-busts, named after the two-faced god Janus. This pairing suggests an interest not only in the antique style, but in classical thought and moral themes. It is possible that the bust could be the work of an Irish or British sculptor working abroad, such as Christopher Hewetson (1737-1799), who spent most of his career in Rome.

RELATED LITERATURE
F. Haskell and N. Penny, Taste and the Antique. The Lure of Classical Sculpture 1500-1900, New Haven/London, 1981, p. 52.