Lot Essay
In the exhibition devoted to Giambologna in 1978 (London, Victoria and Albert Museum, Giambologna (1529-1608) - Sculptor to the Medici, C. Avery and A. Radcliffe, eds., 5 October - 16 November 1978, no. 195, p. 200) another version of this bronze was included with a tentative attribution to Pietro Francavilla (1547-1615). At the time, it was admitted that this attribution would be difficult to confirm, given the small body of works on this scale which are firmly attributable to Francavilla. The present bronze displays particularly fine finishing of the feathers on the wings after it was removed from the mould.