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Lot Essay
The scene represented here is from Greek mythology. Meleager's father had angered the goddess Juno and she sent a wild boar to terrorise the countryside as punishment. Meleager and his companions set out to hunt it and when it was finally killed the hero presented it to the virgin huntress Atalanta, whom he loved. Here the goddess turns to embrace Meleager while Cupid sits at her side with his bow at Venus' feet. Hunting dogs complete the scene with the boar lying in the foreground.
Although not among the models listed by Pope-Hennessy in his pioneering article on Francesco Fanelli (loc. cit.), it shares many characteristics with other firmly attributed groups. In particular the figure of Atalanta is directly comparable with the figure of Deianira in the group of Nessus and Deianira being offered as lot 191, and the waxy treatment of the surface and patination are also entirely consistent with known works by Fanelli.
For a general discussion of the Fanelli bronzes in the Beit collection, see the pre-lot text to lot 172.
Although not among the models listed by Pope-Hennessy in his pioneering article on Francesco Fanelli (loc. cit.), it shares many characteristics with other firmly attributed groups. In particular the figure of Atalanta is directly comparable with the figure of Deianira in the group of Nessus and Deianira being offered as lot 191, and the waxy treatment of the surface and patination are also entirely consistent with known works by Fanelli.
For a general discussion of the Fanelli bronzes in the Beit collection, see the pre-lot text to lot 172.