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Grand Tour Sculpture Fountain of the The Neapolitan Fisherman after the AntiqueSecond half of the 19th Century
Second half of the 19th Century
$5,696.54
£4,249.25
€4,800
CA$7,928.73
A$8,506.11
CHF 4,562.50
MX$102,412.41
NOK 57,515.69
SEK 52,446.34
DKK 36,579.65
About the Item
A rare 19th century Grand Tour bronze sculpture of "The Neapolitan Fisherman" with a beautiful weathered patina attributed to the Neapolitan foundry Fonderia Chiurazzi is a full-scale replica of the original now preserved in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.
The male figure is dressed in a short tunic and cap, his head turned slightly to the right, both arms outstretched, his left hand holding a small basket. He is seated on a rocky outcrop adorned with shells, and between his legs runs a small fountain head in the shape of a Bacchus head. Measuring 55 cm in height, the sculpture demonstrates refined workmanship and a rich, natural patina. It comes with the original basket which is usually lost.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chiurazzi produced many bronzes in various sizes and finishes, but this particular casting is notably of high quality. Chiurazzi in general had high quality cast and finishing and this bronze of the The Neapolitan Fisherman is in the high end when comparing with other makers of the same model. The full-size model is rare. More common are the smaller reduced sizes of the model.
The original Roman bronze fountain figure, commonly known as The Neapolitan Fisherman, was uncovered in 1823 during archaeological excavations at Pompeii, within the Casa della Fontana Piccola (House of the Little Fountain). This find formed part of a richly decorated mosaic fountain ensemble surrounded by four statuettes, among them a seated angler wearing an exomis (tunic) and holding a fishing rod and basket, an image that perfectly captures a moment of relaxed domestic life in a Roman household.
The original layout of the fountain and its sculptures can be seen in Giuseppe Abbate’s illustration, Mosaic Fountain Sculptures in the House of the Small Fountain, Pompeii, published by the Nicolini brothers in 1854. (See attached photo) Abbate’s illustration provides a valuable visual record of how the fountain originally appeared, showing the arrangement of the fisherman, the sister bronze Cupid with Goose, the mosaic basin, and its decorative motifs.
The Italian artist Luigi Bazzani also vividly captured Pompeii’s domestic elegance in his watercolor paintings. Another similar fountain scene, depicts how such spaces may have looked during Pompeii’s flourishing years, with richly ornamented walls, bright mosaics, and sculptural fountains glimmering in sunlight. Another watercolor by Bazzani, painted in 1919, directly portrays the Neapolitan Fisherman in situ at Pompeii. (See photo)
Scholars trace the fisherman’s prototype back to a Hellenistic original of the late 3rd century BCE. Hellenistic sculptural models continued to influence Roman art well into the first centuries CE.
The Fonderia Chiurazzi was established in Naples in 1870 by Gennaro Chiurazzi, a pupil of sculptor Pietro Masulli, who had pioneered the use of the lost-wax casting technique for accurate reproductions of classical bronzes.
After Italian unification (1861), the Naples Archaeological Museum, formerly the Royal Bourbon Museum, began issuing permits to selected workshops to reproduce its vast collections from Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae. Chiurazzi excelled in this field, combining industrial precision with hand-tooled artistry to produce faithful, museum-quality casts.
By the turn of the 20th century, Chiurazzi bronzes had gained international acclaim, winning prizes at major exhibitions such as the St Louis World’s Fair (1904). They were collected by museums, governments, and private connoisseurs worldwide. The Neapolitan Fisherman became one of the most recognizable and desired models, epitomizing the era’s fascination with rediscovered antiquity.
The Grand Tour and the appeal of classical souvenirs
The Neapolitan Fisherman belongs to the artistic and cultural phenomenon of the Grand Tour, the educational journey through Europe undertaken by young aristocrats and scholars from the 17th to the 19th century. Italy, with its ruins of antiquity, masterpieces of the Renaissance, and picturesque landscapes, was the ultimate destination.
Travelers collected bronze and marble reproductions of ancient statuary as tangible symbols of classical learning and refinement. Foundries such as Chiurazzi’s supplied these discerning travelers with exquisitely crafted reminders of their encounters with ancient Rome and Hellenistic art.
- Attributed to:Fonderia Chiurazzi Napoli
- Creation Year:Second half of the 19th Century
- Dimensions:Height: 21.66 in (55 cm)Width: 13 in (33 cm)Depth: 13.78 in (35 cm)
- Medium:
- Period:
- Condition:It is in untouched good weathered condition. Originally, the fisherman, probably had a fishing rod in his left hand but they are almost always lost. A replacement can be made. The original bronze was found without rod.
- Gallery Location:Stockholm, SE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2608217459892
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