CIRCLE OF MASSIMILIANO SOLDANI-BENZI (1656-1740), ITALIAN, FLORENCE, CIRCA 1695-1700, | Ewer with a Naiad and dolphins

with a label under the base with the arms of Maurice de Wendel and his wife, Andrée des Monstiers-Mérinville, numbered in blue ink: 1096the handle shaped as a dolphin, the foot with entwined dolphins, a Naiad in the front

Maurice de Wendel (1879-1961), in his palace 28 avenue de New York, Paris;
thence by family descent to the present owner.

RELATED LITERATURE
K. Lankheit, Die Modellsammlung der Porzellanmanufaktur Doccia, Munich, 1982, nos 159 to 161;
P. Williamson, European Sculpture at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1996, pp. 140-141.

Surface dirt, notably in the crevices, and small chips to the high points in some places and along the top and lower edges of the terracotta ewer. A few stable fireing splitting is visible throughout the surface, consistent with the material. Larger losses are visible to the base of the ewer, notably on three corners, one of which with an old restoration. Small losses are visible in some places along the upper edge of the ewer. The tip of the tail is partly missing on one of the two entwined dolphins on the base. The upper lip of the dolphin-shaped handle with a restored break and a small loss visible in the middle. The wood stand with surface dirt and many losses to the paint. Otherwise very vivid and crisp modelling, good in all details. Rare and attractive model.
"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."

The present bozzetto for an ewer, modelled with naiad and dolphins, is similar to works by Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi, sculptor to Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici. The overall design and the various motifs used, including the entwined dolphins on the foot, the body embellished with an undulating shell motif and the figure of a naiad on the front are comparable to those on a pair of bronze ewers by Soldani, one with Neptune and the other with Amphitrite, made for Senator Giovanni Battista Scarlatti and  in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. no. A. 18-1959). A terracotta example is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (inv. no. M.78.27) and another pair in terracotta and of the same models as the V&A sculptures was sold in Paris, Hôtel Drouot, on 16 April 2014. Molds of Soldani's designs were later used by the Doccia factory to produce polychrome porcelain vessels (see examples in the Museo Civico, Turin).

A drawing recently acquired by the Uffizi Galleries, Florence, depicts a Sea Monster comparable to the dolphin forming the handle of the present ewer (fig. 1).