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Lot Essay
The subject of a man performing a handstand is highly unusual in European sculpture. The model for the present bronze exists in a relatively small group of versions that vary slightly in height and in the precise positioning of the limbs. A closely related example, also featuring the fig leaf, is held in the collections of the Staatliche Museen, Berlin (inv. no. 2097).
The model was first published by Bode in 1912 as Florentine late 16th century (Bode, loc. cit.) but was later reattributed to Barthélemy Prieur by Anthony Radcliffe, an attribution now widely accepted (V. Avery, loc. cit.). The sculptor’s ingenuity is evident in the lively balance of the pose, the angled legs, the subtle twist of the torso, and the backward turn of the head. The small scale allows the acrobat’s surprising posture to be appreciated from multiple viewpoints, each revealing a fresh, charming aspect.
The model was first published by Bode in 1912 as Florentine late 16th century (Bode, loc. cit.) but was later reattributed to Barthélemy Prieur by Anthony Radcliffe, an attribution now widely accepted (V. Avery, loc. cit.). The sculptor’s ingenuity is evident in the lively balance of the pose, the angled legs, the subtle twist of the torso, and the backward turn of the head. The small scale allows the acrobat’s surprising posture to be appreciated from multiple viewpoints, each revealing a fresh, charming aspect.