拍品 86
  • 86

AFTER A MODEL BY GIAMBOLOGNA (1529-1608)ITALIAN, FLORENCE, FIRST HALF 17TH CENTURY | Relief with the Rape of Europa

估價
12,000 - 18,000 GBP
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描述

  • Relief with the Rape of Europa
  • white marble
  • 49 by 77cm., 19 1/4  by 30 1/4 in.

來源

Collection of the Earls of Pembroke, Wilton House, Wiltshire, probably by 1732, certainly by 1751;
by family descent to Sidney Herbert, 16th Earl of Pembroke (1906-1969), Wilton House, Wiltshire;
his sale, Christie's London, 2 June 1964, lot 96 'possibly by Danese Cattaneo' (£420);
Professor Michael Jaffé CBE (1923-1997), Cambridge, United Kingdom;
and thence by family descent;
on loan to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, 1999-2013

出版

R. Cowdry, Pictures, Statues, Busto's, Basso-Relievo's, and other Curiosities at the Earl of Pembroke's House at Wilton, London, 1751, p. 101 ('An A. Relievo, EUROPA on the Bull. There are four other Figures'); 
J. Kennedy, A Description of the Antiquities and Curiosities in Wilton-House, Salisbury, 1769, p. 21 ('An A. Relievo, EUROPA on the Bull, his Feet end in Finns; there are four other marine Deities assisting at the Rape.');
Aedes Pembrochianae: A new Account and Description of the Statues, Bustos, Relievos , Paintings, Medals, and other Antiquities and Curiosities in Wilton-House, Salisbury, 1795, p. 36 ('The rape of Europa.* She is on a bull, which is swimming in the sea; his legs end in fins. - There are dolphins and sea-deities about them.');
Memoires illustrative of the History and Antiquities of Wiltshire and the City of Salisbury, London, 1849, p. 270, no. 147 ('Europa and the bull. A modern bas-relief.');
C. Avery, Giambologna: The Complete Sculpture, Oxford, 1987, p. 270

Condition

Overall, the condition of the marble is good, with dirt and wear to the surface, consistent with age. There are the remains of masking tape and glue residues in the top left corner. There is particular dirt to the crevices. The edges of the relief are slightly uneven, and there are some minor chips. There is veining to the marble, consistent with the material, including strands of pink veining running diagonally from the top to the bottom of the relief, and some spots of dark blue veining, in particular to the bull. There are some minor chips and abrasions to the surface, including to the ground above the figures. There are a few small chips to Europa's face. There are some minor dark marks, including to the head of the far right Triton. There is a Mannerist strapwork decoration to the reverse. There are various scratches and paint and dirt residues to the reverse. There are some small chips to the edges. There is an old Christie's label in one of the corners.
"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."

拍品資料及來源

This evocative relief comes from Wilton House, which contains one of the greatest sculpture collections in England, mostly assembled by Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke (1654-1732). The present marble follows a convex relief by Giambologna executed for the base of the Fountain of the Ocean in the Boboli Gardens in Florence. Originally conceived for the piazza in front of Palazzo Pitti, the Fountain of the Ocean was later moved to the Isolotto in the Boboli Gardens. Carved circa 1574-1575, the other reliefs on the fountain represent the Birth of Venus and the Triumph of Neptune. They are amongst the few secular reliefs executed by Giambologna. The present marble is likely to have been carved by a follower of the great Mannerist sculptor, probably in the first decades of the 17th century. The elongated facial type of Europa recalls figures by Giovanni Battista Caccini (1556-1613) who executed statues for the Boboli gardens; the present relief is likely to have been carved by a sculptor in his circle or wake. RELATED LITERATURE
J. Holderbaum, The Sculptor Giovanni Bologna, New York, 1983, fig. 187; M. Gibbons, Giambologna: Narrator of the Catholic Reformation, Berkeley, 1995, fig. 41