Lot Essay
This unpublished statuette is one of a number of bronzes whose traditional attribution to Adrian de Vries has been doubted ever since the publication of the monograph by L. O. Larsson (Adrian de Vries, Vienna and Munich, 1967). Their goldsmith-like precision is quite unlike that of de Vries, who indeed tended to suppress details on his statues. Their subjects range from St. Jerome and St. Sebastian, to a Running Man and a Fluting Woman, as well as Seated Hercules, Satyrs, and Tritons. Examples are in museums and private collections worldwide, e.g. Dr. A. S. Ciechanowiecki, London; Kunstgewerbe Museum, Cologne (See The Connoisseur, April 1961, p. 175, figs. 5, 6; Connaisance des Arts, September 1965, pp. 72-75; and L. Camins, Renaissance & Baroque Bronzes from the Abbott Guggenheim Collection, Fine Art Museums of San Francisco, 1988, no. 42).
While the distant influence of Giambologna and Prieur is evident in the compositions, such that their origin has been sought in the Low Countries or France around 1600-30, recent unpublished research indicates that they may instead be south German and mid-17th century, connected with the circle of goldsmiths active in Augsburg. This is stylistically plausible and accounts for the high polish and incisive detailing on the statuettes.
A columnar composition such as the present one may also prove to be related to ivory carvings of the same place and date.
While the distant influence of Giambologna and Prieur is evident in the compositions, such that their origin has been sought in the Low Countries or France around 1600-30, recent unpublished research indicates that they may instead be south German and mid-17th century, connected with the circle of goldsmiths active in Augsburg. This is stylistically plausible and accounts for the high polish and incisive detailing on the statuettes.
A columnar composition such as the present one may also prove to be related to ivory carvings of the same place and date.