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Lot Essay
In the 19th century the anonymous sculptor of the present lot was studying the work Nymphe á la Coquille or Nymph with the shell by the French sculptor Antoine Coysevox (1640-1720). The sculptor was possibly not aware of the fact this marble figure was the result of an art historical transformation based on a Hellenistic original (323 BC - about 146 BC).
In the late 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIV and under supervision of Charles le Brun, Coysevox developed into one of the most distinguished sculptors of France. Due to his admiration for classical art, the French Sun King commissioned Coysevox to produce him a copy after the Roman sculpture Nymph with the Shell, at that time in the Villa Borghese, for the gardens of Versailles in 1683.
The Borghese Nymph - named Nackte Frau der Villa Borghese by the founder of scientific archaeology Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768) - dates back mainly to the Roman period. In the early 17th century a restorer added parts to the Roman sculpture, such as the left underarm, right hand and nose. These restorations led to significant alterations to the original composition of the Roman sculpture. Nevertheless this, at the time rare, Roman figure was viewed upon as one of the most recognised antique sculptures in the 17th century.
Just after Coysevox death in 1720, a Roman marble was discovered on the Caelian Hill in Rome which at that time outshone the previously celebrated Borghese marble. The marble from the Caelian Hill appears to be very similar in figure to the Borghese Nymph, showing a partly-dressed young female sitting with her legs drawn up and resting on her left hand. However, this figure was complete in its composition and not lacking any original body parts. Surprisingly this female was not holding a shell; the position of the arms and hands reveals the figure is making the gesture of a knucklebones game (also known as 'Jacks').
In 1742 the Caelian Hill sculpture of the so-called Knucklebones Player was bought by Frederick II for his residence Sanssouci and it is nowadays part of the collection of the Pergamonmuseum (inv.no: Sk 494/R 7). As most of the Roman marbles, the Knucklebones Player is a copy after a lost sculpture from the Hellenistic period. There are five known similar Roman copies with comparable body gestures of the Knucklebones player (or 'players' like the group in the British Museum, inv. no: GR 1867.5-10.1).
Coysevox's copy remained at Versailles until 1878 and was then moved to the Louvre, where it can still be found today (inv.no: M.R. 1823). It remains to be unknown as to whether Coysevox was aware of the fact that the Borghese Nymph was only partly an original composition or it might that the commissioner, Louis XIV, preferred to show a Nymph with the shell in the gardens of his renovated Versailles.
Please note, the condition reports and additional images will be
available from April 18th
In the late 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIV and under supervision of Charles le Brun, Coysevox developed into one of the most distinguished sculptors of France. Due to his admiration for classical art, the French Sun King commissioned Coysevox to produce him a copy after the Roman sculpture Nymph with the Shell, at that time in the Villa Borghese, for the gardens of Versailles in 1683.
The Borghese Nymph - named Nackte Frau der Villa Borghese by the founder of scientific archaeology Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768) - dates back mainly to the Roman period. In the early 17th century a restorer added parts to the Roman sculpture, such as the left underarm, right hand and nose. These restorations led to significant alterations to the original composition of the Roman sculpture. Nevertheless this, at the time rare, Roman figure was viewed upon as one of the most recognised antique sculptures in the 17th century.
Just after Coysevox death in 1720, a Roman marble was discovered on the Caelian Hill in Rome which at that time outshone the previously celebrated Borghese marble. The marble from the Caelian Hill appears to be very similar in figure to the Borghese Nymph, showing a partly-dressed young female sitting with her legs drawn up and resting on her left hand. However, this figure was complete in its composition and not lacking any original body parts. Surprisingly this female was not holding a shell; the position of the arms and hands reveals the figure is making the gesture of a knucklebones game (also known as 'Jacks').
In 1742 the Caelian Hill sculpture of the so-called Knucklebones Player was bought by Frederick II for his residence Sanssouci and it is nowadays part of the collection of the Pergamonmuseum (inv.no: Sk 494/R 7). As most of the Roman marbles, the Knucklebones Player is a copy after a lost sculpture from the Hellenistic period. There are five known similar Roman copies with comparable body gestures of the Knucklebones player (or 'players' like the group in the British Museum, inv. no: GR 1867.5-10.1).
Coysevox's copy remained at Versailles until 1878 and was then moved to the Louvre, where it can still be found today (inv.no: M.R. 1823). It remains to be unknown as to whether Coysevox was aware of the fact that the Borghese Nymph was only partly an original composition or it might that the commissioner, Louis XIV, preferred to show a Nymph with the shell in the gardens of his renovated Versailles.
Please note, the condition reports and additional images will be
available from April 18th