French, 18th century, after Pierre Puget (1620-1694)

K. Herding, Pierre Puget, peintre, sculpteur, architecte (1620-1694),cat. expo., Marseille, 1994, pp. 114-117.

Overall the condition of the terracotta is good with minor wear and surface dirt, especially in the crevices, consistent with age and handling. The putto's proper left foot is missing. The tip of the palm branch on St Alessandro's proper right hand is missing and his proper left hand as well. His proper left forearm has been reattached with traces of glue visible and a small lack on the inner side. There are a few mnior chips to the high points at several places. The patina apears to have been slightly retouched.
"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 terracotta is inspired by the marble statue of the beatified bishop Alessandro Sauli achieved by Pierre Puget in 1668 for Santa Maria Assunta in Carignano church in Genoa. For this project, he has created several terracotta studies, two of them are respectively in the Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence, (inv. n° 860-1-4S) and in the Cleveland Museum (inv. n°1964.36), and a third one in the Bode Museum in Berlin.