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19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Bronze Sculpture of “Narcissus”

$5,900List Price

About the Item

RAND TOUR Italy, late 19th century "Narcissus" Patinated bronze cast by the Michele Amodio foundry of Naples, signed to base cast third quarter of 19th century Item # 406SKN07W An exceedingly fine cast after the Greco-Roman statue of Antiquity discovered in a non-descript house in Pompeii in 1862, the sculpture has been widely discussed as an image of Narcissus, while scholars have argued it is instead a depiction of Dionysus and more recently as a cast of Bacchus waving his finger with grapes dangling from it before an unseen panther. It was the last antique statue in Italy to be showered with such considerable worldwide renown and perhaps this is the reason for its popularity. The sculpture depicts a young man standing entirely devoid of clothing other than a goatskin thrown over his shoulder, his full head of hair chaotic and unkempt as he stares down at something unseen on the ground before him. It is this hollow stare and the pensive raised finger that has led scholars to attribute the image to Narcissus, the young man of great beauty loved by all who met him, but he was unwilling to return the same love to anyone. Because he treated those who loved him so poorly, the gods deemed Narcissus would never have anything he loved. One day, when Narcissus was hunting he stumbled across a stream and when he looked into its still waters he saw his own reflection and fell deeply in love with the image. He reached out to grab the figure, but could not grasp it. He stayed beside the stream without sleep or food, sharing every moment with this image, this singular being who captured his heart. And there he wasted away until he died beside the waters and transformed into a flower. The philisophical statements of the myth underpin the very word Narcisism and make it a particularly compelling image to have at hand - a reminder of the perils of self-delusion. The present example was cast during the third quarter of the 19th century by the Michele Amodio foundry in Naples, Italy. It is signed in beautiful script along the plane of the circular base. The surface is finished in an even very dark brown patination and exhibits a silky translucency throughout. Note the exceedingly well chiseled surface with exquisite hand-hammering to the hair throughout his head, very fine articulation of the fingernails and toenails and jeweler-grade casting and finishing to the intricate detail of his thongs. Due to the popularity of the cast, it is rare that we actually find one that is compelling enough to purchase it for the gallery. This, however, is an exceedingly good cast and a fine treasure. Note the tiny hole below his abdomen that would have allowed the owner to install a grape leaf for modesty of the figure during the 19th century. Measurements: 24 1/4" H x 9 1/4" W x 9 1/4" D Condition Report: Minor handling wear and discoloration to the patina, mostly contained to the hair on his head; minor discolorations to the buttocks; would have had a removable grape-leaf originally, this now absent; sealed in conservator-grade wax, a very fine presentation ready to place. About silla antiques art Established in 2009, we have available in our 9000 square foot brick-and-mortar gallery an ever-changing selection of carefully curated and catalogued furniture, decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and estate jewelry. Our company has long specialized in sculpture circa 1860 through 1930 and as such the gallery always has a very large collection of exceptional European and American sculpture available on display. The gallery is located at 117 W Burd Street in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and is open by appointment only. We welcome your visit and would love to meet with you at the shop. For clients located outside of the area, we are always available to discuss items by video conferencing or by phone.

Dimensions:
Height: 24.25 in (61.6 cm)Width: 9.25 in (23.5 cm)Depth: 9.25 in (23.5 cm)
Style:
Grand Tour (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Unknown
Condition:
Replacements made: See condition notes. Repaired: See condition notes.
Seller Location:
Shippensburg, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 406SKN07W1stDibs: LU1059040491492

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