CAST FROM A MODEL ATTRIBUTED TO ANTONIO SUSINI (FL 1580-D 1624), EARLY 17TH CENTURY

Details

A BRONZE FIGURE OF CHRIST AT THE COLUMN
CAST FROM A MODEL ATTRIBUTED TO ANTONIO SUSINI (FL 1580-D 1624), EARLY 17TH CENTURY
Depicted standing with his hands tied behind his back; on a later spreading circular bronze pedestal inscribed in red on the reverse with the inventory number '211'; medium brown patina with traces of a darker surface
6¾ in. (17.2 cm.) high; 10 in. (25.4 cm.) high, overall

Provenance

Purchased by Alfred (1853-1906) or Otto Beit (1865-1930) between 1904 and 1913.
Thence by descent to Lady (Clementine) Beit (1915-2005) by whom donated to the Alfred Beit Foundation in 2005.

Literature

W. Bode, Catalogue of the Collection of Pictures and Bronzes in the Possession of Mr. Otto Beit, London, 1913, p. 107, no. 211, as 'Imitator of Gian Bologna'.

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
E. W. Braun, Die Bronzen der Sammlung Guido von Rhò in Wien, Vienna, 1908, p. 18, pl. XVII.
Warsaw, Royal Castle in Warsaw, Opus Sacrum, 1990, pp. 308-310, no. 57.

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

A very good example of this model was formerly in the von Rhò collection in Vienna, where it was attributed to Giambologna on the strength of the treatment of the torso and hands which were thought to be characteristic of the artist (Braun, loc. cit.). When the same bronze was included in the 1978 Giambologna exhibition in London, Charles Avery commented also on the striated treatment of the drapery as being a typical Giambologna trait, but cited the more dramatic positioning of the torso as being more likely the work of a follower. When another example was offered for sale at Christie's London, (18 April, 1989, lot 133) it was attributed to Antonio Susini, and an example which was formerly in the Barbara Piasecka Johnson collection was tentatively given to the same artist (loc. cit.). Although none of the known casts would appear to attain the level of technical perfection normally associated with Susini, he remains the most likely candidate for the authorship of the composition.

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