Vittorio Caradossi

Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with very minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few naturally occurring inclusions, notably to the woman's legs. There is also some light veining, consistent with the material, including to the woman's abdomen and back. There are a few very minor chips, including to the chimaera's teeth, the tip of its proper left ear, and the woman's hair at the back. There are a few minor dirt marks to the terrasse at the back.
"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."

Superbly carved, with beautiful contrasting polished and textured surfaces, this remarkable marble by Vittorio Caradossi is a testament to the exceptional abilities of Italian 19th-century sculptors to carve marble to dazzling effect. The group is indebted to Renaissance and Neoclassical precedents, showing both Caradossi's erudition and his skill as a marble carver. The nymph recalls, in her pose, the figure of Deianira from Giambologna's Nessus and Deianira group, one of the most celebrated Florentine Mannerist models. The Chimera, on the other had, with its fearsome expression, is indebted to the sculptures of leopards created by Francesco Antonio Franzoni (1734-1818), of which the most famous is in the Sala degli Animali in the Vatican, although the present Chimera is particularly close to a leopard attributed to Franzoni in the Honolulu Museum of Art (inv. no. 3240.1). In combining a young nude with a mythical creature, the present marble is reminiscent of Caradossi's Leda and the Swan, of which a version was sold at Christie's London for £194,500 against an estimate of £80,000-120,00 on 6 March 2014, lot 150.

Vittorio Caradossi was born in Florence and studied sculpture under Augusto Rivalta at the Accademia di Belle Arti. His genre epitomizes fin-de-siècle Tuscan sculpture. Technically superb, most of his oeuvre is dominated by highly-decorative groups and single nude figures in various symbolic or allegorical guises. In works such as Tre Nereidi (Three Mermaids), Il Fumo che sale verso le Nubi (Smoke Sweeping up to the Clouds), and Shooting Stars, Caradossi was clearly catering to a strong demand from an international clientele for elaborate and sensual compositions. Sotheby's achieved the record for the sculptor with his Shooting Stars which sold at Sotheby's New York on 8 November 2013, lot 12, for $689,000 against an estimate of $300,000-500,000.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori Italiani dell'ottocento e del primo novecento, Turin, 2003, p. 200