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Lot Essay
These superbly finished bronzes are virtually identical to two of a set of four bronzes in the Wallace Collection which were acquired by the 4th Marquess of Hertford by 1865. Even the acanthus-decorated ormolu plinths correspond exactly. In his entry on the Wallace bronzes, Wenley points out that putti of this type were commonly ascribed to François Duquesnoy - who was working in Rome in the mid-seventeenth century - but that numerous artists of the period were working in a similar style (Wenley, loc. cit.). In fact, the putto blowing the double horn here seems to derive from a composition attributed to Alessandro Algardi, who was a contemporary of Duquesnoy.
Although the Wallace bronzes are catalogued as being cast 'probably in the mid 18th century' the fact that both those bronzes and the present pair are on identical ormolu plinths suggests that the plinths are original to both pairs. As the neo-classic design and construction of the plinths indicate a date slightly later in the 18th century, the present bronzes are likely to have been cast circa 1780.
Although the Wallace bronzes are catalogued as being cast 'probably in the mid 18th century' the fact that both those bronzes and the present pair are on identical ormolu plinths suggests that the plinths are original to both pairs. As the neo-classic design and construction of the plinths indicate a date slightly later in the 18th century, the present bronzes are likely to have been cast circa 1780.