ITALIAN, AFTER GIAMBOLOGNA, 17TH CENTURY

Details

A GILT-BRONZE MODEL OF A PACING BULL
ITALIAN, AFTER GIAMBOLOGNA, 17TH CENTURY
On a rectangular spreading grey marble pedestal.
Chips to the upper sections of the pedestal.
4 in. (10.2 cm.) high
6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm.) high, overall

Literature

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
C. Avery and A. Radcliffe eds., exhibition catalogue, Giambologna 1529-1608 Sculptor to the Medici, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, Victoria and Albert Museum, London and Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, 19 Aug.- 10 Sep. 1978, 5 Oct.- 16 Nov. 1978 and 2 Dec. 1978 - 28 Jan. 1979, p. 192, no. 178.
C. Avery ed., exhibition catalogue, GIAMBOLOGNA - An Exhibition of his sculpture by the master and his followers - From the collection of Michael Hall Esq, New York, 6 Mar.- 4 Apr. 1998, pp. 124-5, no. 43.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

The renaissance interest in depicting images of the domestic bull took as its inspiration various antique prototypes. The most famous models, however, surfaced during the second half of the 16th century after Giambologna produced a small wax model of a bull that was probably cast and finished in the Susini workshops. Various models of bulls were produced as a result of this collaboration, including one in the Smith College Museum of Art, Massachusetts (Avery, 1979, loc. cit.), that relates very closely to the present lot. Although they vary in size (23 cm. high for the former and 10.2 cm. high for the latter), they are represented in a virtually identical pose and with very similar modelling to the body. An even closer comparison can be made to a bull in the Michael Hall collection (Avery, 1998, loc. cit.), which is of the same size, quality and finishing.

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