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Lot Essay
In his biography of Giambologna, the writer Baldinucci included a story which the sculptor was apparently fond of telling in his old age. Having arrived from his native Flanders, Giambologna spent two years studying the sculpture of ancient Rome, modelling examples of all the most famous examples in wax or clay. When he left Rome and travelled to Florence, he had the opportunity to meet the aging Michelangelo, and presented to him a highly finished model. Michelangelo is said to have taken the model, squashed it, and deftly remodelled it into an altogether more vigorous composition. He sent the young Giambologna off with the admonition 'Now go off and learn to model properly, before you try to give a finish to anything' (Avery, op. cit., p. 15).
This was obviously a lesson which Giambologna took to heart and, in his maturity, he became obsessed with perfecting the composition of single figures as well as two- and three figure groups. However, unlike Michelangelo - who is known to have recorded his first thoughts for many sculptural works in the form of drawings - Giambologna began the creative process by modelling numerous small pensieri in wax or terracotta, resolving compositional difficulties by altering the small models or by creating new ones which allowed the form of the subject to evolve. These wax models, of which a number are recorded in Giambologna's own collection at the time of his death in 1608, were built up over a metal armature, sometimes no more sophisticated than a nail hammered into a piece of wood which served as a base.
As court sculptor to the Medici Grand Dukes of Florence, Giambologna's creative powers were at a premium, particularly as his patrons liked to impress foreign courts with their own artistic sophistication by presenting heads of state with diplomatic gifts in the form of small bronzes. And as his fame spread throughout Europe, not only did Giambologna's bronzes become widely sought after, but even the small modelli came to be prized as one of the most spontaneous incarnations of his artistic genius. One of Giambologna's early patrons, Bernardo Vechietti, is known to have built up a collection of bronzes, waxes and terracottas at his country villa Il Riposo. As early as 1568, Vasari discusses the collection and notes that a downstairs room is completely surrounded with models by Giambologna (ibid, p. 237). It is probable that the present lot formed part of that group, for the collection was bought in the 18th century from one of Vecchietti's descendants by William Locke of Norbury Park in Surrey. Locke's collection was sold in these Rooms on 16 April 1783, however the items were not individually described so a positive identification is not possible. It is certainly as a result of Locke's purchase of the Vecchietti models that the United Kingdon is today so rich in these models, and it is highly likely that the present lot was among them.
Following in a long tradition, a number of English artists of the 18th century themselves collected works of art, and the present wax model formed part of the collection of the painter Sir Thomas Lawrence. It was bought from his sale, again held at Christie's (this time in 1830) as part of lot 352 - 'Small wax models of naked female Figures; the heads wanting' - by Colnaghi's for the collector Richard Ford. They have remained in the family almost without interruption down to the present day.
Although there is a larger gilded wax figure of almost the same composition in the Louvre, it appears that this conception was finally never translated into bronze. It has been suggested that it was originally intended as a pendant for the artist's figure of Architecture, of which there is a large marble version in the Bargello, and a signed bronze example in Boston (ibid, p. 274). That figure is seated on a very similar draped base in almost mirror image to the present wax. It is assumed that the celestial globe at the reverse of the present wax figure indicates that she was intended as an allegory of Astrology, which would form an interesting intellectual discipline to pair with the Architecture.
Setting aside the illustrious provenance, and the interesting place this figure holds within Giambologna's oeuvre, it should be recognised that it is also a work of art of both incredible spontaneity and enormous presence. Even at this diminutive scale, every detail is executed with the confidence and vivacity of an artist still recognised as one of the great creative minds of the 16th century. The folds of drapery almost quiver with energy, and the passages of skin seem to bear the actual fingerprints of the maker. The loss of the head and right arm even serve to emphasise its relationship to contemporary art by giving it an element of abstraction. And with the characteristic 'V' shapes formed by the angles of the legs and remaining arm, with the elongated proportions and the small, highly placed breasts, the Astrology is an iconic Giambologna image of female beauty.
This was obviously a lesson which Giambologna took to heart and, in his maturity, he became obsessed with perfecting the composition of single figures as well as two- and three figure groups. However, unlike Michelangelo - who is known to have recorded his first thoughts for many sculptural works in the form of drawings - Giambologna began the creative process by modelling numerous small pensieri in wax or terracotta, resolving compositional difficulties by altering the small models or by creating new ones which allowed the form of the subject to evolve. These wax models, of which a number are recorded in Giambologna's own collection at the time of his death in 1608, were built up over a metal armature, sometimes no more sophisticated than a nail hammered into a piece of wood which served as a base.
As court sculptor to the Medici Grand Dukes of Florence, Giambologna's creative powers were at a premium, particularly as his patrons liked to impress foreign courts with their own artistic sophistication by presenting heads of state with diplomatic gifts in the form of small bronzes. And as his fame spread throughout Europe, not only did Giambologna's bronzes become widely sought after, but even the small modelli came to be prized as one of the most spontaneous incarnations of his artistic genius. One of Giambologna's early patrons, Bernardo Vechietti, is known to have built up a collection of bronzes, waxes and terracottas at his country villa Il Riposo. As early as 1568, Vasari discusses the collection and notes that a downstairs room is completely surrounded with models by Giambologna (ibid, p. 237). It is probable that the present lot formed part of that group, for the collection was bought in the 18th century from one of Vecchietti's descendants by William Locke of Norbury Park in Surrey. Locke's collection was sold in these Rooms on 16 April 1783, however the items were not individually described so a positive identification is not possible. It is certainly as a result of Locke's purchase of the Vecchietti models that the United Kingdon is today so rich in these models, and it is highly likely that the present lot was among them.
Following in a long tradition, a number of English artists of the 18th century themselves collected works of art, and the present wax model formed part of the collection of the painter Sir Thomas Lawrence. It was bought from his sale, again held at Christie's (this time in 1830) as part of lot 352 - 'Small wax models of naked female Figures; the heads wanting' - by Colnaghi's for the collector Richard Ford. They have remained in the family almost without interruption down to the present day.
Although there is a larger gilded wax figure of almost the same composition in the Louvre, it appears that this conception was finally never translated into bronze. It has been suggested that it was originally intended as a pendant for the artist's figure of Architecture, of which there is a large marble version in the Bargello, and a signed bronze example in Boston (ibid, p. 274). That figure is seated on a very similar draped base in almost mirror image to the present wax. It is assumed that the celestial globe at the reverse of the present wax figure indicates that she was intended as an allegory of Astrology, which would form an interesting intellectual discipline to pair with the Architecture.
Setting aside the illustrious provenance, and the interesting place this figure holds within Giambologna's oeuvre, it should be recognised that it is also a work of art of both incredible spontaneity and enormous presence. Even at this diminutive scale, every detail is executed with the confidence and vivacity of an artist still recognised as one of the great creative minds of the 16th century. The folds of drapery almost quiver with energy, and the passages of skin seem to bear the actual fingerprints of the maker. The loss of the head and right arm even serve to emphasise its relationship to contemporary art by giving it an element of abstraction. And with the characteristic 'V' shapes formed by the angles of the legs and remaining arm, with the elongated proportions and the small, highly placed breasts, the Astrology is an iconic Giambologna image of female beauty.