French, early 19th century After the Antique

Private collection, London, United Kingdom

Overall the condition of the bronze is good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is particular dust in the crevices, and some light staining to the patina in areas, possibly from moisture. There is some rubbing to the patina at the high points, including the tip of the nose. The bronze is cast in sections and some stable original joints are slightly visible, including at both upper arms. There is also a rectangular original bronze casting patch to the proper left upper arm, whose outline is only slightly visible. There are a few nicks and scratches, notably to the figure's back, and to his proper left leg. There are several small lacunae to the base, in particular below the figure's proper left leg. There are a few minor spots of greening, including to the base at the back. The base is slightly warped, resulting in its not sitting quite flat on an even surface.
"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 fine bronze is cast after the antique marble in the Capitoline Museums, Rome. First recorded in the Ludovisi Collection in 1623, it was acquired for the Capitoline Museums by Pope Clement XII, before being ceded to the French in 1797. The sculpture arrived in Paris in a triumphal procession and was housed in the Musée Central des Arts. After Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815, it was returned to the Capitoline Museums, where its fame was such that it was displayed in a dedicated room named after it. The subject was long interpreted as a Gladiator until late 19th-century scholarship identified the poignant figure as a wounded Galatian, whose army invaded the Hellenistic kingdom of Pergamon in the third century AD. Since the marble’s discovery, its popularity has spawned numerous reductions in bronze, notably those by Giacomo and Giovanni Zoffoli and other Roman bronze founders in the 18th and early 19th centuries, who were catering to the tastes of Grand Tourists. The present cast, unusually large and of fine quality, is distinguished by its attractive reddish brown patina and is probably of French origin.

RELATED LITERATURE
F. Haskell and N. Penny, Taste and the Antique. The Lure of Classical Sculpture 1500-1900, New Haven and London, pp. 224-227, no. 44