Lot 49
49
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
AN ITALIAN BRONZE BUST OF 'IL FILOSOFO', cast from a model by Vincenzo Gemito, the bearded philosopher shown looking forward pensively, his mouth slightly open, long beard falling in curls and hair held in a band, on turned socle and mottled green marble base, signed GEMITO and with foundry stamp, late 19th Century

Details
AN ITALIAN BRONZE BUST OF 'IL FILOSOFO', cast from a model by Vincenzo Gemito, the bearded philosopher shown looking forward pensively, his mouth slightly open, long beard falling in curls and hair held in a band, on turned socle and mottled green marble base, signed GEMITO and with foundry stamp, late 19th Century
21in. (53.3cm.) high

Lot Essay

Gemito executed his bust of a philosopher, known as Il Filosofo, in 1883 in the De Mesnil workshop. The work is reputedly a portrait of his adoptive father, Masto Ciccio, and was exhibited by Gemito at the V International Art Exhibition in Venice in 1903 under the title Testa di Vecchio alias Il Filosofo. The bust rapidly became one of the most popular works from Gemito's mature period and reveals the artist's characteristic skill in blending the Antique with his own mundane experience.

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