Antonio Frilli

Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is some veining to the marble consistent with the material, in particular around the legs, the proper right shoulder, and the drapery at the back. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions, including around both cheeks. There are a few minor chips and abrasions, including to the edge of the veil above the proper right shoulder, and to the edges of the drapery, in particular around the bottom edge, and to the bottom edge of the base. There appears to be some white fill to a slightly open vein at the front of the terrasse. The marble column is composed of three sections. It is in good condition with some wear, including chips around the edges.
"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."

A Florentine artist of superb skill, Antonio Frilli belonged to a tradition of distinguished Italian carvers that included Pietro Bazzanti, Cesare Lapini and Cesare Fantacchiotti. His successful workshop in Florence produced sculptures in marble and alabaster, concentrating on elegant compositions and decorative works for the international market, which provided Frilli’s main clientele. The sculptor and his studio also produced copies after both antique and contemporary sculpture, such as the Venus de’Medici (sold Sotheby’s London, 16 December 2015, lot 1) and Antonio Canova’s Three Graces. Frilli is first recorded as exhibiting at the Esposizione Nazionale di Roma in 1883, after which he showed in Glasgow (1888) and Paris (1889). His technical accomplishment is best represented in his Nude Reclining in a Hammock (Sotheby’s New York, 3 November 1999, lot 62), which was presented at the International Exhibition at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1904. In this work a female nude is perched on an elaborately embroidered counterpane in a hammock slung between two posts, seemingly without support (which is in fact subtly created by her hanging left arm).

The present marble exemplifies Frilli’s oeuvre of highly decorative female nudes. The girl’s oriental headdress and earrings recall Florentine artists’ representations of Old Testament heroines, such as Ruth or Jael, yet the eroticism of her bared flesh, partially concealed by her cloak, evokes the seduction of Arabian Nights. Suggestively lifting her veil above her head and offering a knowing smile to the viewer, the girl appears as an exotic enchantress, whose appeal is enhanced by the beautifully polished surface of the marble.

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