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Lot Essay
The story of Nessus and Deianira records the denouement of Hercules' long and eventful life. Deianira, the wife of Hercules, was abducted by the centaur Nessus when he offered to ferry her across a river. Hercules slew Nessus but the latter, in his dying moments, tricked Deianira into administering a fatal potion to her husband. Hercules donned a shirt which had been sprinkled with the potion and it ate into his flesh with a mysterious fire that killed him. He was later raised to the status of god and and joined the other gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus.
The theme of this abduction was taken up by Giambologna (1529-1608), court sculptor to the Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany. The first interpretation, referred to by scholars as 'type A', shows Deianira seated on Nessus' back. The present composition, a variant of 'type B', is a development of Giambologna's original; here Deianira raises herself up on her foot, attempting to spring from the grasp of the centaur in an altogether more energetic and baroque arrangement.
This second composition of the theme has long been associated with Antonio Susini, the most trusted assistant of Giambologna, and when the present bronze was included in Weihrauch's Europäische Bronzestatuetten (loc. cit.) it was given to Susini's own hand. However, in the catalogue of the Smith collection (loc. cit.), Anthony Radcliffe argues that the invention is actually Giambologna's own, although possibly cast again later by Susini after he had left his master's workshop.
At least two other casts which include the integral column of drapery supporting the underside of the centaur are known to exist, an inferior gilt version in the Wallace Collection, London, and a cast which was included in the sale of works of art from the collection of the Margraves of Baden (Sotheby's, Baden-Baden, 5-21 October 1995, II, lot 333, approximately £193,000 hammer). It is difficult to know if the present cast originates from the Susini workshops in Italy or from a northern foundry. There appear to be traces of a reddish gold lacquer - a typical attribute of the Florentine foundries - in the recesses of the present bronze. However, it is worth noting that this cast is extremely close to the cast sold at Baden-Baden, although the latter was finished in a more typically Germanic way, with all of the fur of the centaur's pelt indicated with chisel marks. In either case, the dynamism of the original conception is apparent here, with the arched back of the centaur and the writhing pose of the unfortunate Deianira.
The bronze is further enhanced by an illustrious provenance. By tradition, it entered the family collection through Agnes Françoise de Louchier who was a mistress first of Louis XIV and later of Max Emanuel of Bavaria. Max Emanuel was a noted collector in his day; he made important purchases in the field of old master pictures as well as bronzes (for an article on Max Emanuel's bronze collecting see Peter Volk, loc. cit.). He bestowed numerous gifts upon his mistress of property, jewels and art. It is believed that the present bronze was among those gifts, and that when Agnes Françoise later married an ancestor of the vendor, she brought this piece with her to the marriage.
The theme of this abduction was taken up by Giambologna (1529-1608), court sculptor to the Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany. The first interpretation, referred to by scholars as 'type A', shows Deianira seated on Nessus' back. The present composition, a variant of 'type B', is a development of Giambologna's original; here Deianira raises herself up on her foot, attempting to spring from the grasp of the centaur in an altogether more energetic and baroque arrangement.
This second composition of the theme has long been associated with Antonio Susini, the most trusted assistant of Giambologna, and when the present bronze was included in Weihrauch's Europäische Bronzestatuetten (loc. cit.) it was given to Susini's own hand. However, in the catalogue of the Smith collection (loc. cit.), Anthony Radcliffe argues that the invention is actually Giambologna's own, although possibly cast again later by Susini after he had left his master's workshop.
At least two other casts which include the integral column of drapery supporting the underside of the centaur are known to exist, an inferior gilt version in the Wallace Collection, London, and a cast which was included in the sale of works of art from the collection of the Margraves of Baden (Sotheby's, Baden-Baden, 5-21 October 1995, II, lot 333, approximately £193,000 hammer). It is difficult to know if the present cast originates from the Susini workshops in Italy or from a northern foundry. There appear to be traces of a reddish gold lacquer - a typical attribute of the Florentine foundries - in the recesses of the present bronze. However, it is worth noting that this cast is extremely close to the cast sold at Baden-Baden, although the latter was finished in a more typically Germanic way, with all of the fur of the centaur's pelt indicated with chisel marks. In either case, the dynamism of the original conception is apparent here, with the arched back of the centaur and the writhing pose of the unfortunate Deianira.
The bronze is further enhanced by an illustrious provenance. By tradition, it entered the family collection through Agnes Françoise de Louchier who was a mistress first of Louis XIV and later of Max Emanuel of Bavaria. Max Emanuel was a noted collector in his day; he made important purchases in the field of old master pictures as well as bronzes (for an article on Max Emanuel's bronze collecting see Peter Volk, loc. cit.). He bestowed numerous gifts upon his mistress of property, jewels and art. It is believed that the present bronze was among those gifts, and that when Agnes Françoise later married an ancestor of the vendor, she brought this piece with her to the marriage.