CIRCLE OF ALESSANDRO VITTORIA, VENETIAN, CIRCA 1570

Details

A BRONZE FIGURE OF VENUS
CIRCLE OF ALESSANDRO VITTORIA, VENETIAN, CIRCA 1570
Depicted standing in contrapposto revealing her left breast and with right arm aloft; on an integrally cast naturalistic plinth and later square marble pedestal; dark brown patina and warm brown high points
7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm.) high; 11¼ in. (28.5 cm.) high, overall

Literature

Trento, Castello del Buonconsiglio, 'La Bellissima Maniera - Alessandro Vittoria e la scultura veneta del Cinquecento', 25 Jun. - 26 Sept. 1999.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The bronze figure of Venus on offer here has close stylistic similarities to a number of models conceived by the Mannerist sculptor Alessandro Vittoria (1525-1608). With her small rounded head and long elongated body, she is very similar to a terracotta figure of Charity from circa 1564 (Bacchi, Camerlegno, Leithe-Jasper, op. cit., pp.320-1, no. 67) that also displays a similar attention to the posture with one hand to her side holding a length of drapery, exposed breast, and one leg protruding forward. Furthermore, the treatment of the drapery is similar with its high waistline and voluminous folds by the legs. A further comparison can also be made with a bronze figure of Apollo by Vittoria in the Staatliche Museen Skulpturensammlung, Berlin (ibid, pp. 338-9, no. 73) that displays a similar attention to the proportions of the body, the same long narrow fingers and a virtually identical face with heavy eye-lids, long, narrow, nose, small chin and identically modelled hair.

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