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Masterpieces
of the J. Paul Getty Museum
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
Los Angeles
THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM
Frontispiece:
MICHEL ANGUIER
Jupiter [detail]
probably cast toward the end
of the seventeenth century
from a model o f 1652
94.SB.21 (See no. 21)
Page 6:
J O H N DEARE
Venus Reclining on a Sea Monster with
Cupid and a Putto [detail], 1785-1787
98.SA.4 (See no. 38)
Page 8:
Page 12:
Taitbout
[detail], 1762
Texts prepared by Peter Fusco (abbreviated in text as PF), Peggy Anne Fogelman (PAF),
and Marietta Cambareri (MC)
FRANCOIS G I R A R D O N
Pluto Abducting Proserpine [detail],
cast circa 1693-1710
88.SB.73 (See no. 26)
1998 The J. Paul Getty Museum
1200 Getty Center Drive
Suite 1000
Los Angeles, California 90049-1687
CONTENTS
F O R E W O R D by Deborah G r i b b o n
I N T R O D U C T I O N by Peter Fusco
N O T E T O T H E READER
11
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
14
I N D E X OF A R T I S T S
128
FOREWORD
T h e collection o f European sculpture represented here, begun i n 1984, has just been
installed i n galleries b u i l t for i t i n the new J. Paul Getty M u s e u m . Seeing the collection
i n this new context is a revelation to visitors; for us, i t is a reminder o f h o w m u c h more
has been accomplished i n just fourteen years than we had imagined possible. T h e
curators have assembled a group o f sculptures ranging i n date from the late
fifteenth
to the early twentieth century, w i t h works i n various media by many o f the greatest
European sculptors: Laurana, A n t i c o , C e l l i n i , Giambologna, Bernini, C l o d i o n ,
Canova, and Carpeaux, to list only a few. T h e collection is especially strong i n late
Renaissance and Baroque bronzes, w i t h masterpieces by Schardt, D e Vries, Tacca,
and Soldani.
T h e b u i l d i n g o f the collection has been the w o r k o f Peter Fusco, the Museum's first
curator o f sculpture, and t w o associate curators, Peggy Fogelman and Catherine Hess.
This book is the sixth i n a series intended to introduce to the general public the high
points o f the Museum's seven curatorial departments. I am grateful to Peter Fusco for
his thoughtful i n t r o d u c t i o n and to Peggy Fogelman and Marietta Cambareri, as well
as to Peter Fusco, for w r i t i n g entries o n individual pieces.
Readers seeking more information about the Getty's European sculpture
should consult t w o books published by the M u s e u m i n 1997: Looking
Sculpture: A Guide to Technical
Summary
at
European
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
PETER F U S C O
Curator
INTRODUCTION
11
1 FRANCESCO LAURANA
Neither a bust nor a full figure, this w o r k depicts the half-length image o f an infant
victory over death. T h e h i g h oval basewith its scored, roughened areas meant to
Marble
49.5cm(19 /2in.)
1
96.SA.6
PF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
15
2 CONRAT MEIT
Friedrich the Wise, w h o also employed Albrecht Durer and Lucas Cranach the Elder.
A r o u n d 1512 the sculptor moved permanently from Germany, and i n 1514 he became
Antwerp), l480s?-l550/51
Head of a Man (possibly a
portrait o f Cicero), circa 1520
Alabaster
33 cm (13 in.)
96.SA.2
18
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
3 PIERJACOPO
ALARI-BONACOLSI
called Antico
o f ancient fragments, as well as his numerous bronze reductions and copies o f famous
Italian (Mantua)
circa 1460-1528
Bust of a Young Man, circa 1520
Bronze with silver eyes
54.6 cm ( 2 i y in.)
statues and busts from antiquity, earned h i m the nickname A n t i c o , meaning antique.
Antico's emulation o f ancient art extended not only to the forms and subjects o f his
compositions b u t also to his technique. For instance, i n the Museum's sculpture, the
silver eyes and excavated p u p i l s w h i c h give the bust such an arresting presence
86.SB.688
recall ancient bronzes i n w h i c h inlaid silver and copper were used to accentuate certain
anatomical features and add coloristic variety. I n other works A n t i c o gilded the hair,
drapery, or other details o f the costume to create striking contrasts between the bright
gold and the dark, patinated bronze.
T h e Museum's bust depicts a m a n i n early adulthood, sporting a smooth mustache,
close-cut sideburns, a h i n t o f facial hair below the lower lip, and an abundant mass
o f curly hair that twists and spirals i n all directions. T h e bronze is closely based o n an
ancient marble bust n o w i n the Hispanic Society o f America i n N e w York. A l t h o u g h
the identity o f the subject o f the marble portrait is uncertain, i t was likely t h o u g h t i n
the sixteenth century to represent a Roman emperor. A n t i c o may have copied i t i n
bronze as part o f a series o f emperor busts to decorate a palace interior or grotto.
Antico's erudite patrons w o u l d have keenly appreciated the bust's visual reference
to antiquity, i n a d d i t i o n to the outstanding quality o f the bronze and its precisely
finished details.
20
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
4 GIROLAMO
T h i s bust depicts a handsome, bearded male dressed i n Roman-style armor and toga
DELLA ROBBIA
Girolamo della Robbia for the Chateau d'Assier near Figeac, northeast o f Toulouse,
i n the south o f France. T h e castle was b u i l t by Jacques, called Galiot, de G o u r d o n de
Genouillac ( 1 4 6 5 - 1 5 4 6 ) , a celebrated soldier and m i l i t a r y official i n the court o f
95.SC.21
the courtyard. Like the other sculptures i n this group, the Museum's bust was glazed
w h i t e to imitate marble and w o u l d have been framed i n a r o u n d , wreathed medallion.
Its high-relief projection and bright reflective surface w o u l d have created a striking
contrast w i t h the flat, gray wall o n w h i c h i t was placed.
G i r o l a m o was trained by his father i n the Delia Robbia workshop i n Florence,
famous from the 1440s for its p r o d u c t i o n o f glazed terracotta sculpture. T h e
Museums bust exemplifies Girolamo's particular approach to this m e d i u m , i n
w h i c h the expressive, naturalistic m o d e l i n g o f sculptural volumes and anatomical
featuresseen here i n the strong nose, sunken eyes, and delicately furrowed b r o w
takes precedence over polychrome glazing and ornament. G i r o l a m o may have left
Florence to serve the French k i n g and his court as early as 1517. Preceding other Italian
artists recruited by Francois I , G i r o l a m o was a pioneer i n spreading the influence o f the
Italian style and establishing a more international reputation for Delia Robbian art.
PAF
24
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
5 After a model by
According to ancient Greek mythology, satyrs were spirits o f the woods and mountains,
BENVENUTO CELLINI
identifiable by their goatlike features i n c l u d i n g hairy legs and hooves, tails, bearded
faces, and horns. I n the Renaissance they were often associated w i t h lust and other
at Fontainebleau), 1500-1571
Satyr
its small horns and goatish headbut emphasized its psychological aggressiveness.
Cellini's Satyr, sculpted i n more than half-relief, stands i n exaggerated contrapposto
85.SB.69
fiercelywith
PAF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
27
6 Circle of
Venus, w i t h her full-bodied limbs and straight-nosed aWantica profile, reveals the
JACOPO SANSOVINO
artists awareness o f antique models. T h e sharp t u r n o f her head to the left may be
completely follow any single prototype. A l m o s t all the famous antique statues o f
Dolphin,
circa 1550
aspect o f
87.SB.50
Venus are shown w i t h hands raised and positioned to hide the goddess's nakedness
or to lift drapery i n some feigned gesture o f modesty. T h e "non-pudica"
Bronze
(founder's mark?)
T h e Venus is similar to the H i g h Mannerist works executed i n the 1540s and 1550s
by Italian artists such as Francesco Primaticcio and Jacopo Sansovino. T h e bronze finds
its closest stylistic parallels i n the works o f Sansovino, w h o is documented as having
executed t w o figures o f Venus (now lost). A l t h o u g h no k n o w n nude female figures
by h i m have survived, Sansovino's extant documented works exhibit several elements
found i n the Getty bronze: the unusually abstract treatment o f the eyebrows, delineated
by a single, sharp, semicircular line that continues d o w n to define the bridge o f the
nose; the t h i n , slit eyes; the relatively small, slightly twisted m o u t h ; the elaborate
coiffure w i t h knobs o f hair projecting up above a circular braid; the pair o f barrettes
(which are identical to those i n Sansovino's figure o f Charity o n a m o n u m e n t to Doge
Francesco Venier i n the C h u r c h o f San Salvatore, Venice); the figure's elongated limbs
and very substantial upper arms and thighs; the large but elegant hands and feet; and
the unusual position o f the nose-diving d o l p h i n w i t h the series o f distinct bumps
r u n n i n g up over its head and back (very like the d o l p h i n accompanying Sansovino's
giant figure o f Neptune i n the courtyard o f the Doge's Palace, Venice). Also similar to
Sansovino's works is the treatment o f Venus's hands, w h i c h are bent at the wrists i n an
affected, mannered fashion, w i t h the fingers splayed open like a pinwheel. I t seems
probable that the cupid i n the Museum's w o r k originally held up a now-missing arrow,
the sharpness o f w h i c h Venus was testing w i t h the t i p o f a finger. T h i s w o u l d have
added to the sense o f aloof, disdainful, and icily dangerous sensuality that permeates
the w o r k .
PF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE 29
7 Sphinx
T h e sphinx is a creature o f fable, composed o f a woman's head and chest, a lion's body,
and an eagle's wings. She is depicted crouching o n all fours, w i t h heavy-lidded eyes and
Bronze
her head pulled backlike a snake about to strikeover a long, bejeweled, curving
64 cm
( 2 5 / i 6 in.)
3
85.SB.418.1
30
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PF
8 GIOVANNI BOLOGNA
(Jean Boulogne),
the most p r o m i n e n t and innovative sculptor d u r i n g the Mannerist period o f the late
called Giambologna
his style. T h e figure's pose conforms to an upward spiral, called a figura serpentinata,
i n w h i c h a twisting torso and bent limbs suggest a graceful, i f artificial, s-shaped curve
i n three dimensions. She is n o t quite seated, w i t h one side o f her buttocks completely
unsupported, but n o t quite standing, as she reaches d o w n w i t h her right hand to dab
her foot w i t h a small cloth and raises her left hand to h o l d a vessel above her head.
114.9 cm {A9A'm.)
W i t h one leg and b o t h arms positioned i n front o f her, her balance is tilted precariously
82.SA.37
forward. For Giambologna, the naturalness o f the pose was less i m p o r t a n t than its
elegant and pleasing silhouette, meant to be seen from several angles. T h e cool appeal
o f the figure's smooth, naked body is offset and emphasized by her tightly braided,
coiled hair and the crisp folds o f a discarded blouse or robe whose sleeve is draped
across her groin.
Giambologna's figure may be identified w i t h a marble statue sent by the M e d i c i to
the duke o f Bavaria as a diplomatic gift. T h e subject o f this marble was not mentioned
by Giambologna's early biographers, but the statue likely represents Venus, a c o m m o n
subject for a nude female figure depicted bathing. I n the seventeenth century, according
to documents, the marble was taken to Sweden by K i n g Gustav A d o l p h as booty
d u r i n g the T h i r t y Years' War w i t h Germany. By that t i m e the statue had been renamed
Bathsheba, presumably i n order to invest the figure's n u d i t y w i t h biblical significance
d u r i n g the Counter-Reformation. T h e figure remained i n Sweden u n t i l the late
twentieth century. A series o f interconnecting channels inside the figure, r u n n i n g
from the vessel i n her raised hand d o w n through the base o f the c o l u m n o n w h i c h she
sits, suggests that the marble once served as a fountain. T h e figure's hands and feet were
damaged i n the eighteenth century; the top o f the vessel and portions o f the left hand
are incorrect, twentieth-century restorations.
PAF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
33
9 J O H A N N GREGOR V A N
This bronze represents Mercury, the divine messenger o f the gods and patron o f travel,
DER SCHARDT
science, commerce, and thievery. Wearing only his winged helmet and sandals to
convey the speed w i t h w h i c h he traverses the heavens, the athletic young god steps
95.SB.8
forward, h o l d i n g i n his right hand the caduceus, his magic staff. H e turns his head,
his gaze following the movement o f his extended left arm. M e r c u r y speaks, w i t h open
m o u t h and articulate gesture, embodying the ideal o f eloquence. A version o f the
Mercury o f the same design and size i n the Stockholm Nationalmuseum, signed
I.G. V.S.F. for "Ian Gregor Van Sart Fecit" (Johann Gregor van der Schardt made i t ) ,
secures the a t t r i b u t i o n o f the Getty bronze to Schardt. T h e Mercury can be traced to
the collection o f Paul Praun ( 1 5 4 8 - 1 6 1 6 ) , a Nuremberg patrician and avid collector
o f Schardt's w o r k , though i t is uncertain whether Praun acquired i t before or after the
artist's death i n 1 5 8 1 .
Schardt, a native D u t c h m a n , spent the early years o f his career i n Italy, where
he studied and copied famous antique and Renaissance statues and absorbed the
classicizing and Mannerist ideals o f contemporary sculptors like Jacopo Sansovino,
Benvenuto C e l l i n i , and Giambologna. H e was one o f the first artists to bring these
ideas to N o r t h e r n Europe, w o r k i n g i n the courts o f Nuremberg, Vienna, and D e n m a r k
i n the 1570s. Schardt either was unaware o f or rejected the most famous contemporary
rendering o f M e r c u r y by Giambologna, w h o shows the god i n flight: poised o n one
foot, w i t h limbs extending into space, and meant to be seen from all angles. I n
contrast, Schardt's Mercury
the Apollo Belvedere, a figure planted firmly o n the ground. Schardt refined the
composition o f the revered model by elongating the limbs, torso, and neck o f
the figure and emphasizing the graceful, swaying lines and easy harmony o f the
body i n m o t i o n .
MC
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
35
10
CESARE T A R G O N E
w h o also w o r k e d i n Rome and Florence and served as a dealer i n antique gems for
prestigious patrons like the M e d i c i grand dukes. For Ferdinando I de' M e d i c i , Targone
the
1586-1587
works o f art and precious objects owned by the M e d i c i . The Virgin Mourning
Christ w o u l d have fitted well i n t o such a collection because o f its rare, costly materials,
( l l / s x 10^4 in.)
the Dead
its small scale, and the virtuosity o f its execution. I t is a masterful example o f gold
repousse technique, i n w h i c h a t h i n sheet o f gold is pressed over a model or is w o r k e d
manually from behind to create forms i n relief. T h e goldsmith then w o r k e d the soft
OPVS. CESARIS.
material from the front, refining details and creating a variety o f textures, seen here,
TAR.
VENETI
84.SE.121
for example, i n the hair and beard o f Christ and the mossy g r o u n d u p o n w h i c h he lies.
T h e setting o f the brilliant gold relief o n to black obsidian (a volcanic glass) heightens
the effect o f splendor. T h e figures dominate the panel, creating an impression o f
m o n u m e n t a l i t y that contradicts the relatively small scale o f the object, increasing
the sense o f wonder.
T h e scene represents the V i r g i n , standing behind the body o f the dead Christ, her
hands clasped i n a gesture o f lamentation, her head turned i n stark profile. Christ lies
u p o n the w i n d i n g sheet, his upper body supported by the sloping hillside, his eyes and
m o u t h slightly open. T h e isolation o f the t w o figures recalls the devotional image o f the
Pieta, i n w h i c h the V i r g i n supports the body o f her dead son o n her lap. T h e standing
V i r g i n and the body o f Christ laid out on the g r o u n d are reminiscent o f lamentation
scenes i n p a i n t i n g or sculpture that typically include many m o u r n i n g figures. T h i s relief
combines and distills these sources, placing devotional focus u p o n the body o f Christ
and the restrained grief o f the V i r g i n . T h e image seems timeless, the black background
merely suggesting that the scene takes place d u r i n g the darkest hours o f the night.
Similar episodes from the Passion o f Christ are k n o w n i n sketches and i n reliefs i n
wax, bronze, and gold by, or associated w i t h , Guglielmo della Porta (died 1577),
the most i m p o r t a n t sculptor w o r k i n g i n Rome after Michelangelo's death.
38
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
MC
11 T I Z I A N O A S P E T T I
for the Santo (the C h u r c h o f Sant'Antonio) and the cathedral. A m o n g the many secular
circa 1559-1606
Male Nude, circa 1600
Bronze
74.9 cm (29 /2 in.)
]
88.SB.115
of Saint Lawrence,
40
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PF
12
Italian
restrained and noble image o f Christ's death o n the cross. T h e crucified Christ, a
Wood
central image i n Christian iconography dating back at least to the fifth century, could
32.5cm(12 /4in.)
3
97.SD.45
Gift o f Lynda and Stewart Resnick
in honor o f Peter Fusco
fifteenth-century
Corpus.
H e presented Christ dead b u t not suffering, w i t h head dropped to the proper right,
a straight muscular torso, and legs crossing only at the feet and shifted to the same
side as the head. T h i s idealizing image o f Christ o n the cross was further developed
by sixteenth-century artists like Michelangelo and G u g l i e l m o della Porta. I n fact, the
present Corpus is very close to a group o f crucifixes and Crucifixion reliefs attributed to
Della Porta. T h e placement o f the limbs and head, the carefully modeled musculature
o f the torso and back, and the reserved depiction o f Christ's death are all found i n the
Della Porta examples. T h e torso is t r u l y frontal, w i t h none o f the contrapposto twisting
o f later, more animated images. T h e clinging l o i n c l o t h reveals the anatomy o f the body
below i t i n the back view, w h i c h is distinctly different from most Baroque versions, i n
w h i c h the drapery takes o n a life o f its o w n . T h e quiet, contemplative quality o f the
Getty Corpus finds close parallels i n late sixteenth-century Italian paintings, where
sacred imagery is presented i n a straightforward fashion i n keeping w i t h the precepts
o f the C o u n c i l o f Trent. T h e Getty sculpture has the timeless beauty o f such images,
w h i c h played an i m p o r t a n t role i n devotional life i n Counter-Reformation Europe.
MC
42
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
13 A N T O N I O S U S I N I
I n this v i v i d scene o f animal combat, a ferocious l i o n attacks a horse from the side,
Italian (Florence),
digging i n t o its flesh w i t h claws and teeth and forcing i t to collapse u p o n the rocky
active 1572-1624
ground. T h e horse, w r i t h i n g i n pain, twists its neck back toward the predator w i t h an
or
G I O V A N N I FRANCESCO
SUSINI
Italian (Florence),
o f the animals w i t h i n this compact grouping convey a sense o f dynamic struggle and
physical anguish. However, despite the b r u t a l i t y o f the subject, the rich, golden-brown
patina and exquisitely rendered detailsfor instance, the ripples along the horse's bent
called Giambologna
neck and the carefully punched whiskers o n the lion's muzzletransform this violent
24.1 x 2 8 cm ( ^ / s x l l in.)
94.SB.11.1
44
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
Lion
PAF
14 A D R I A E N D E V R I E S
Dutch (active i n Florence,
M i l a n , Augsburg, and Prague),
1545-1626
Bronze
FRIES
HAGUENSIS
fifteenth
century. By the seventeenth century, technical advances i n the art o f bronze casting
86.SB.488
sculpture from the time o f the Renaissance onward, perhaps because o f its association
T h e horse, or the horse and rider, was an extremely popular subject i n European
ADRIANUS
FECIT
enabled sculptors to balance the weight o f the entire composition o n two o f the horse's
legs. Several p r i m a r y concerns o f the early Baroque aestheticsudden, violent m o t i o n ,
an open composition w i t h forms projecting i n t o space, and the sense o f a fleeting
m o m e n t frozen i n timewere intrinsic to the image o f the rearing horse and made
it an appealing subject for sculptors and their patrons. Works such as the Museum's
Rearing Horse, w h i c h preserves its golden-red varnish, use this surface treatment
to enhance the sense o f movement as light shimmers across the animal's smooth,
muscular body. T h e size o f the horse, its dynamic pose w i t h forelegs pawing the air,
and the beauty o f the patina all testify to D e Vries's exceptional skill as a designer
and maker o f bronzes.
B o r n i n T h e Hague, De Vries traveled to Florence i n the early 1580s and j o i n e d
the studio o f Giambologna, the official sculptor to the M e d i c i dukes. D e Vries was
Giambologna's most influential and innovative follower and played a key role i n
disseminating the Florentine Mannerist style o f the late sixteenth century to the
courts o f N o r t h e r n Europe. I n 1601 D e Vries was appointed official court sculptor
to R u d o l f I I i n Prague, where he continued to w o r k u n t i l his death. A l t h o u g h he is
k n o w n to have modeled sculptures i n terracotta and stucco, D e Vries w o r k e d primarily
i n bronze and became a superb technician, producing sculptures that were unusually
consistent i n their h i g h level o f accomplishment. I n addition to his large-scale figures
for complex fountain projects, D e Vries executed numerous smaller bronzes for interior
decoration, such as the Rearing Horse. D e Vries produced several equestrian bronzes
closely related to the Museum's composition, i n c l u d i n g a Rearing Horse with Snake i n
the Stockholm Nationalmuseum and a portrait o f Duke Heinrich Julius of
on Horseback formerly i n the Herzog A n t o n U l r i c h M u s e u m i n Brunswick.
Braunschweig
PAF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
47
15 A D R I A E N D E V R I E S
Faun i n
D u t c h (active i n Florence,
the Galleria degli Uffizi i n Florence. T h e ancient, music-making Faun has horns and a
small tail, holds cymbals, and steps o n a foot organ. D e Vries eliminated the horns and
1545-1626
Juggling Man, circa 1615
Bronze
76.8 cm (30!/4 in.)
90.SB.44
tail, changed the foot organ to bellows, and deleted the hand straps o f the cymbals,
transforming t h e m into plates for juggling.
By consciously recalling an antique precedent, D e Vries displayed his ability to
rival the accomplishments o f ancient artists. Moreover, his revisions to the composition
demonstrated his powers o f invention and his keen understanding o f the h u m a n body
i n m o t i o n . Caught at a crucial m o m e n t i n an acrobatic trick, w i t h one plate perched
precariously o n his fingertips and the other seemingly suspended by centripetal force,
the figure conveys extraordinary vitality and movement w i t h i n a perfectly balanced
composition. T h e vigorous treatment o f the r i p p l i n g muscles enhances the r h y t h m
and elasticity o f the open pose. T h e sculpture becomes a vehicle for the exploration
o f dynamic e q u i l i b r i u m . I t may be relevant to note that feats o f artistic virtuosity and
juggling tricks shared a c o m m o n termKunststucke machenin
sixteenth-century
48
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
16 G I A N L O R E N Z O B E R N I N I
parallels i n the career o f the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens. Bernini dominated
the Roman artistic scene for approximately sixty years, receiving major sculptural and
architectural commissions that transformed the face o f the papal city. H i s influence
was a predominant factor i n the history o f sculpture u n t i l the ascendancy o f the
Neoclassical stylein no small part a reaction against what Bernini had created
i n the late eighteenth century.
Gianlorenzo began his t r a i n i n g as an artist at a very y o u n g age under his father,
Pietro, w h o was also a great sculptor. His early works demonstrate such technical
competence and such a complete assimilation and understanding o f earlier styles that
he can t r u l y be called a prodigy. M a n y o f his early sculptures, i n c l u d i n g the Museum's
Boy with a Dragon, display elements that w o u l d remain constant throughout his
career: an interest i n psychological realism; the acute rendering o f emotional states; the
depiction o f movement, transience, and transformation i n the intractable m e d i u m o f
marble; and the desire to establish interaction between the spectator and the w o r k o f art.
T h e subject o f the Museum's Boy with a Dragon is rare i n the history o f sculpture.
I t was inspired by ancient Hellenistic marble sculptures depicting The Infant
Killing
Hercules
or y o u n g Hercules.
a Dragon, Bernini's
Boy has the features o f a Neapolitan street u r c h i n (Bernini was b o r n i n Naples) rather
than those o f a mythological figure. Thus, Bernini has transformed a traditionally
mythological subject w i t h heroic implications i n t o a genre-like scene, one that is
more immediately accessible to the viewer and that extends the boundaries o f
what was previously considered serious art.
52
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PF
17
G I O V A N N I FRANCESCO
SUSINI
Italian (Florence),
circa 1585-circa 1653
The Abduction of Helen by Paris,
1627
Bronze on an eighteenth-century
gilt-bronze socle
IO.FR.SVSINI/FLOR.FACJ
MDCXXVII
90.SB.32
1620s. Susini's extremely innovative group is one o f the earliest manifestations o f the
Baroque style i n Florentine sculpture.
56
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
18
MARCUS HEIDEN
German (Coburg),
popular i n the N o r t h e r n courts o f Europe. Marcus Heiden, an ivory turner and master
MARCUS. HEIDEN.
FECIT.
1631
91.DH.75
COBURGENSIS
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
61
19
GERARD V A N OPSTAL
T h e sculptor Van Opstal was trained i n his native Brussels, but little is k n o w n o f his
activity before he left for Paris to w o r k for Cardinal Richelieu. H e received commissions
related to the decoration o f the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Palais de Justice, and the
85.SA.167.1
Palais Royal, and i n 1648 he was a founding member o f the French Academie Royale
de Peinture et de Sculpture.
One o f five related alabaster reliefs i n the Museums collection, this w o r k was
probably created as part o f the architectural decoration for a state or m u n i c i p a l b u i l d i n g
w i t h a maritime function. I n a tumultuous, w i n d b l o w n scene, five bearded
fishermen
and six winged p u t t i haul a net w i t h fish i n t o their boat. Van Opstal's style was strongly
influenced by the dynamic Baroque works o f his fellow countryman, the painter Peter
Paul Rubens. T h i s is evident i n the Museum's relief, w h i c h is permeated by a series
o f cascading rhythms, created by the curves o f the bellies o f the pudgy p u t t i and the
curved backs, bulging muscles, and b i l l o w i n g clothing o f the straining
fishermen.
Moreover, the carving o f the alabaster creates a series o f small planes that constantly
shift i n direction, c o n t r i b u t i n g to the sense o f a flickering movement across the
urface. T h i s is a technique often found i n small ivory reliefs, a m e d i u m i n w h i c h
Van Opstal excelled.
62
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
63
20
FERDINANDO TACCA
This figure is one o f a pair o f bronze p u t t i , or naked winged infants, i n the Museum's
1650-1655
Bronze
65.1 cm (25 /sin.)
5
85.SB.70.1
to decorate the high altar o f the C h u r c h o f Santo Stefano al Ponte Vecchio i n Florence.
Renovations to the church were undertaken by the Bartolommei family, w h i c h
employed Tacca to provide t w o bronze angels w i t h inscribed cartouches to be placed
above the altar. A l t h o u g h Tacca completed the project i n 1655, i t is not clear whether
the angels ever reached their intended destination i n the church. T h e y may instead
have been kept by the Bartolommei family for their o w n private collection, since the
bronzes appear i n inventories o f the family palace i n Florence as early as 1695.
Tacca inherited the studio and artistic legacy o f Florence's greatest Mannerist
sculptor, Giambologna. However, several features o f the bronze Putto underscore
Tacca's development away from the Mannerist style toward a more Baroque i d i o m : the
realistic, pudgy anatomy; animated facial expression; theatrical gesture; and dynamic
patterns o f light created by the crinkled folds o f drapery. Tacca's outstanding skill as a
bronze caster is evident i n the precise, masterful h a n d l i n g o f details, as i n the texture
o f the w i n g feathers and the curls -of the hair. T h e Putto retains the translucent, reddishb r o w n lacquer patina typical o f Florentine bronzes o f this period.
PAF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
65
21
MICHEL ANGUIER
precedents had been established for the depiction o f the Roman god Jupiter. T h e first
depicted the deity seated and enthroned as the supreme ruler o f Olympus. T h e second,
tonnantoi
foudroyant
standing as the god o f Justice, presiding over the earth and m e t i n g out punishment
w i t h his fatal thunderbolts. Anguier's bronze statuette, w h i c h shows Jupiter stepping
61 cm (24 in.)
forward and raising a cluster o f flaming thunderbolts i n his right hand, clearly belongs
94.SB.21
Jupiterwere
inspired by an antique marble that Anguier w o u l d have seen i n the Palazzo Giustiniani
i n Rome. I n 1652, shortly after his return to Paris, Anguier modeled a series o f seven
figures representing gods and goddesses according to their temperaments: thundering
Jupiter, jealous Juno, agitated Neptune, tranquil A m p h i t r i t e , melancholy Pluto,
Mars abandoning his weapons, and distraught Ceres. A l t h o u g h there are several
bronze examples i n existence for five o f the deities, the Museum's statuette is the
only k n o w n cast o f Anguier's Jupiter.
PAF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
67
22
ROMBOUT VERHULST
R o m b o u t Verhulst was a brilliant portraitist and the foremost Flemish marble carver
1624-1698
new t o w n hall. After Quellinus left for A n t w e r p i n 1665, Verhulst became the most
monuments, portraits, and garden sculpture, although he also produced small works
Marble
i n ivory. T h e Museums bust exemplifies Verhulst's realistic portrait style i n its subtle
SORTE
inscribed on the
GEBOREN
MIDDELBURGH
DEN.X.
1625. WEGENS
HET
VANIACOB
REIGERSBERGH,
DE
VANZEELANT
VAN
IN
APRIL.
PROVINTIE
DEN.29.APRIL.
lace jabot. I n this sculpture, Verhulst also employed a unique and inventive formal
solution to mitigate the truncation at the shoulders and chest: he used decorative,
c u r v i n g volutes and foliage at each side and below the armor to frame the bust and
lead the viewer's eye up toward the face.
Jacob van Reygersberg ( 1 6 2 5 - 1 6 7 5 ) was a representative for the province o f
Zeeland at the States General o f the Netherlands and a director o f the Admiralty, as
well as the owner o f Couwerve and Crabbedijke Manors and Westhove Castle. As such,
VAN HAER
MOGENTHEDEN
17.7BER DESIAERS
m o d e l i n g o f facial features and rich differentiation o f textures i n the hair, armor, and
GEDEPUTEERDT
TER VERGADERINGH
HOOGH
DEN
1663 STURF
1675
84.SA.743
portrait bust i n 1 6 7 1 , Van Reygersberg was forty-six years o l d and at the height o f his
political career. Independent marble busts o f this period were rare and were generally
commissioned by members o f the Amsterdam regents or o f the court circles at T h e
Hague. Despite Van Reygersberg's official status and wealth, he d i d n o t belong to these
institutions and therefore may have commissioned the portrait w i t h the i n t e n t i o n o f
later incorporating i t i n t o a t o m b m o n u m e n t . A t any rate, Van Reygersberg died four
years after the bust's completion, and a commemorative inscription and m o t t o were
then added, giving the sculpture definite funereal overtones and lending i t the quality
o f a cenotaph. T h e L a t i n device carved o n the front o f the socle below the scrolling
ornament reads " I am content w i t h m y l o t , " i m p l y i n g Van Reygersberg's acceptance
o f death. T h e inscription o n the back o f the bust identifies h i m i n the following terms:
"This is the image o f Jacob van Reygersberg, b o r n i n M i d d e l b u r g o n A p r i l 10, 1625.
Representative for the province o f Zeeland at the assembly o f the H i g h and M i g h t y
[States General] o n September 17, 1663[.] D i e d o n A p r i l 29, 1675."
68
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
PAF
23
Corpus
T h i s elegant depiction o f the crucified Christ is unusual i n its gentle sensuality and
Boxwood
lance w o u n d to the side, and any indication o f b l o o d d r i p p i n g from the nail holes are
all absent from this portrayal. Christ's musculature is smooth and strong, showing
no signs o f emaciation. His torso forms a sinuous curve, w i t h one h i p raised. T h e
loincloth, w h i c h falls i n directional folds that echo the sway o f his body, is held i n
place by a double rope f o r m i n g decorative semicircles at his hips. H i s robust and
fluidly
modeled arms are relatively horizontal, defying the weight o f his lifeless body,
or corpus; his figure w o u l d seem to float i n front o f the cross rather than hang from i t .
Christ's serene face, w i t h gently closed eyes and m o u t h , and u n w r i n k l e d brow, registers
no sign o f agony.
T h e sculptor o f the Museum's Corpus has ingeniously combined the traditional
iconography o f Cristo morto, the dead Christ o n the cross, w i t h that o f Cristo
vivo,
Christ alive o n the cross. Before the tenth century, Crucifixion scenes c o m m o n l y
portrayed Christ on the cross w i t h his arms held out horizontally and his facial
expression alert and t r i u m p h a n t , as victor over sin. Later, Christ was more often
depicted dead on the cross, his arms stretched vertically and pulled by the weight
o f his l i m p body, his torso emaciated and bearing the wounds o f his torture and
suffering. By the sixteenth century, the t w o iconographies existed concurrently.
T h e diffusion o f b o t h types i n Flemish sculpture was highly influenced by the
painted compositions o f Peter Paul Rubens. Rubens's importance for the Museum's
Corpus is apparent i n the positioning o f the head and the physiognomy and expression
o f the face.
70
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
24
CHRISTOPH DANIEL
T h i s relief illustrates the biblical account o f Saint Peter's lamentation: " A n d Peter
SCHENCK
remembered the w o r d o f Jesus, w h i c h said unto h i m , Before the cock crow, t h o u shalt
W/im.)
o f Saint Peter dominates the panel and displays a sense o f m o n u m e n t a l i t y and threedimensionality unusual i n relief sculpture. Schenck achieved this by c u t t i n g deeply
i n t o the w o o d , so that the grief-stricken expression o f the deeply lined face, the hands
clasped i n a gesture o f lamentation, and the gnarled feet that press i n t o the lower ledge
o f the panel make a particularly strong visual impact. T h e swirling, circular forms o f
the drapery further emphasize the i m p l i e d volume o f the figure and create a sense o f
m o t i o n and e m o t i o n that make for a powerful and sensitive depiction o f the story.
I n the background, scenes recounting the events that led to Saint Peter's
lamentation appear i n l o w relief. I n the lower right, Saint Peter denies Christ for the
t h i r d time, w h i c h he acknowledges by h o l d i n g up three fingers. Above this scene, i n
the upper right, the cock crows, w i t h wings spread and m o u t h open, fulfilling Christ's
prediction. A t the upper left, Christ is led away by cruel, m o c k i n g soldiers, adding to
the bitterness o f Peter's grief, since this occurred at the same time that Peter denied h i m .
W h i l e presenting an image o f deep h u m a n despair, this relief w o u l d have offered hope
to its viewers, providing reassurance that even Saint Peter, Prince o f the Apostles,
sinned, repented, and was forgiven.
Schenck, w o r k i n g i n the area o f southern Germany and northern Switzerland
around Lake Konstanz, frequently treated religious themes o f penitence and suffering,
often for monastic patrons. T h o u g h he was firmly grounded i n the traditions o f
N o r t h e r n prints and w o o d sculptureevident i n the starkly expressive naturalism
o f this reliefSchenck was also aware o f Italian Baroque models, made clear here
by Saint Peter's m o n u m e n t a l i t y and the animated drapery.
74
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
MC
25
LUISAROLDAN
This statue challenges the boundaries between art and reality. Life-sized, carved and
called La Roldana
Spanish (Madrid),
o f w o o d that seems to have the qualities o f fabric, this startling image displays the
1652-1706
Saint Gines de la Jar a, 169(2?)
Polychromed wood (pine and cedar)
cm
(69 /4in.)
!
were speaking, his right hand is extended i n wonder, and he probably held a staff i n his
[LUlS]ARO[LD]AN,
left hand.
ESC[\J]L[TO]RA
ANO
DE
CAMARA
Various legends describe h o w Saint Gines, w h o was descended from French royalty
(explaining the use o f the fleur-de-lys, emblem o f the kings o f France, i n the pattern
S. GINES DE
85.SD.161
LAXARA
Gines
MC
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
77
26
FRANgOIS GIRARDON
chateaux o f Versailles and Marly, as well as i n Paris. H i s early training was completed
Pluto Abducting
by a stay i n Italy, where Girardon's study o f ancient and modern sculpture formed the
Proserpine,
basis for his refined, classicizing style. After his return to France i n 1650, G i r a r d o n was
supported by Charles Le B r u n , First Painter to the K i n g . T h e commission i n 1666 for a
105.1 cm ( 4 l / i n . )
3
major marble group o f Apollo Served by the Nymphs for the Grotto o f Thetis at Versailles
F. Girardon Inv. et F.
marked Girardon's success at court, and his steady progress t h r o u g h the ranks o f the
88.SB.73
1695.
78
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
M C and PAF
27
LORENZO OTTONI
Alexander
VIII,
1691-1700
it made," identifies b o t h the sitter and, unusually, the patron o f the w o r k , establishing a
close relationship between them. A member o f a noble Venetian family, Alexander V I I I
was popular for reducing taxes, increasing inexpensive food imports, alleviating political
tensions w i t h France, and supporting Venice i n its war w i t h the Turks. H e was vigilantly
VIILP. O.M.FRAN.
95.SA.9.1-.2
CARD.BARB.F.F
Giuniore
informal audiences.
T h e portrait medallion is set o n to a bigio antico socle carved i n the f o r m o f a
double-headed eagle that seems to h o l d the image aloft. R u d o l f I I granted the O t t o b o n i
family permission to add this imperial device to their arms i n 1588, i n recognition o f
their assistance i n fighting the Turks. T h e sculptor, Lorenzo O t t o n i , took advantage
o f the natural shading o f the gray marble by carving the eagle from the darkest part o f
the stone, w h i c h effectively sets o f f the bright w h i t e marble o f the medallion. O t t o n i ,
a member o f the circle o f the Barberini family i n late seventeenth-century Rome, also
carved a series o f portrait busts o f Barberini family members, i n c l u d i n g one o f Cardinal
Francesco's father.
T h i s w o r k combines several elements usually found i n commemorative monuments
or t o m b sculpture, m a k i n g i t a small but densely symbolic memorial image o f the
pope, created i n the decade after his death. For example, portrait medallions were often
employed as part o f architectural t o m b structures. Furthermore, the eaglea reference
to the O t t o b o n i coat o f arms and thus a heraldic, dynastic motifseems to carry the
image and, conceptually, the sitter heavenward.
M C and PF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
81
28 Attributed to A N T O N
This sculpture represents the Christ C h i l d , standing o n a base that suggests a rocky
MARIA MARAGLIANO
landscape, and nude but for the w i n d b l o w n cloak that wraps around his arms and trails
behind his left leg. His upper torso and shoulders twist toward his left as he extends his
left hand, probably to display an object n o w lost. T h i s may have been a globe, w h i c h
w o u l d have conveyed the idea o f Christ as Salvator Mundi
Child
a vivid, animated quality; the naturalism and direct emotional appeal characteristic
o f polychromed w o o d sculpture; spiraling curls o f hair; and fluttering drapery that
imparts a typically Baroque dynamism. T h i s Christ Child is particularly charming,
given the fleshy forms o f the child's anatomy, such as the chubby ankles and knees
and the rounded belly, the sweetness o f his expression, and the delicacy o f his gestures,
w h i c h also serve to integrate the figure i n t o the visual culture o f Genoa i n the years
around 1700.
MC
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
83
29
MASSIMILIANO SOLDANI
Soldani was arguably the finest bronze caster i n late seventeenth- and early
B E N Z I , called Soldani
the most significant proponent o f the Florentine late Baroque style i n sculpture.
Venus and
Adonis,
circa 1715-1716
Bronze
46.4 cm (18^4 in.)
93.SB.4
Metamorphoses
86
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
while Venus, having just arrived ( w i t h her drapery still fluttering), cradles the
head o f her paramour and looks into his eyes. Soldani uses the w i n d b l o w n drapery
and other details to enhance the excitement o f the drama and to demonstrate his
superlative bronze-casting skills. For example, the dog's leash, w h i c h is being pulled
by the standing cupid, is stretched tautly i n a way that seems to defy the static quality
o f bronze.
A second bronze version o f this group, i n the Walters A r t Gallery, Baltimore,
retains its original base that includes a cartouche inscribed AM ORE
RESVRGAM
PF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE 87
30
EDME BOUCHARDON
and his works provided a key stylistic l i n k between the grand Baroque classicism o f
Bartholomew,
circa 1734-1750
Terracotta
57.2 cm (22V in.)
Louis X I V and the Neoclassicism that flourished from around 1750. O n e o f the earliest
French sculptors to explore a full-blown Neoclassical style, Bouchardon avoided d r y
academicism t h r o u g h the naturalistic modeling o f surfaces, the elegant attenuation
o f figural proportions, and the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f simple, graceful poses. T h i s terracotta
94.SC.23
Saint Bartholomew
Saint-Sulpice figures, Saint Peter and Saint Andrew, closely follow the terracotta i n
pose, drapery, and anatomy.
T h e subject o f the terracotta, Saint Bartholomew, lived i n the first century and is
supposed to have preached i n India and A r m e n i a before being flayed alive and beheaded.
T h e saint is c o m m o n l y portrayed h o l d i n g a knife, the instrument o f his m a r t y r d o m ,
w i t h his o w n flayed skin draped over one arm or laid o n a tree stump. T h e saint was a
popular subject i n paintings from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, b u t he rarely
appears i n sculpture. I n Bouchardon's portrayal, the seminude saint stands w i t h his
hands clenched around a book and gazes far o f f to his right as i f absorbed i n a divine
vision. T h e o l d man's loose flesh and gaunt facial features are treated w i t h exceptional
sensitivity. T h e flayed skin, w h i c h hangs o f f the back o f the tree stump, is rendered i n
gruesome detail, w i t h the sagging hands, feet, and genitalia fully articulated.
88
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
31 J A C Q U E S - F R A N g O I S -
T h i s marble depicts a lithe nude male posed i n classical contrapposto, leaning o n a tree
J O S E P H SALY
creature o f the woods) by means o f the small tail above his buttocks, the inclusion o f a
goat to reflect his o w n goatlike features, and the display o f musical instruments often
associated w i t h fauns and satyrs. T h e sculptor, Saly, spent the years 1740 to 1748 as a
student at the Academie Francaise i n Rome. His numerous studies and copies after the
antique are evident i n his composition for the Faun Holding
84.1 cm (33^sin.)
a Goat, w h i c h is based o n
at least t w o famous ancient statues: the Faun with a Kid, n o w i n the Museo Nacional
NL. COUSTOUFECIT
del Prado i n M a d r i d , and the Satyr with Grapes and a Goat, n o w i n the Museo
1715
85.SA.50
Capitolino i n Rome.
Saly executed the terracotta model for this marble statuette w h e n he was still i n
Rome. Shortly after his return to Paris, he submitted a plaster version to the Academie
Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture as part o f his application for membership. I f the
morceau de reception, or reception piece, was approved by the Academie, its execution
i n marble was commissioned. T h e resulting sculpture, i f accepted, entitled the artist to
full membership. Saly's Faun Holding
90
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
32
FRANCIS H A R W O O D
most o f his career to supplying British aristocrats w i t h copies and reductions o f famous
active 1748-1783
Bust of a Man, 1758
Black sandy limestone
(pietra da paragone) on a
yellow Siena marble socle
shoulders that end i n a sweeping arc. T h e n u d i t y o f the chest, the shape o f the
88.SA.114
ancient portrait busts and reflect Harwood's antiquarian interests. T h e y also serve
to ennoble the sitter by associating h i m w i t h ancient precedents.
T h e identity o f the sitter is u n k n o w n . H i s particularized facial features and the
inclusion o f a small scar at the top o f his forehead above his right eye suggest that the
sculpture portrays a specific i n d i v i d u a l . T h i s , along w i t h the bust's dignified expression
and antique associations, makes the p o r t r a i t exceptional not o n l y w i t h i n Harwood's
oeuvre b u t also w i t h i n the broader history o f European representations o f people o f
color. First brought to Britain i n 1555, by the eighteenth century Africans were familiar
figures i n English society. However, their depiction i n art remained largely stereotyped.
I n paintings they were usually portrayed as servants and relegated to the background.
I n sculpture, their features and costume were generalized to serve as symbols o f
exoticism. Harwood's bust, by contrast, is a rare, i f n o t unique, eighteenth-century
European portrait o f a black individual.
92
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
33 J E A N - J A C Q U E S C A F F I E R I
Last and most celebrated member o f a renowned family o f artists, Jean-Jacques Caffieri
Bust of
prix de Rome i n 1748 and, while i n Italy, w o r k e d under the painters Jean-Francois de
Taitbout,
Alexis-]ean-Eustache
1762
Troy and Charles Natoire. I n 1757, Caffieri exhibited religious and allegorical works
Terracotta
W i t h plaster socle: 64.5 cm (25 /s in.)
as well as portrait busts at the Paris Salon, and, t w o years later, he became a member
Caffieri
Taitboutis
an unbuttoned
shirt open at the neckand by the freshness o f its modeling, the sense o f realistic
detail, and its air o f immediacy.
94
E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF and PF
34 J O S E P H N O L L E K E N S
Venus, one o f three female deities by Nollekens i n the Museum's collection, was
Venus, 1773
Marble
124
cm
in.)
Venuswould
Nollekens R 1773
mortal shepherd was called u p o n to decide w h i c h goddess was the most beautiful.
87.SA.106
Nollekens chose to illustrate the beginning o f the Judgment o f Paris, depicting each
the virgin goddess o f w i s d o m and warfare and by far the most modest
o f the three, reaches up to remove her helmet. Juno, the goddess o f marriage, bares
one breast as she opens her dress. Venus, the goddess o f love and the w i n n e r o f the
competition, is nude except for the single sandal she is removing.
A l t h o u g h k n o w n p r i m a r i l y as a sculptor o f portrait busts and monuments,
Nollekens had a particular interest i n freestanding mythological figures. Because o f
the rarity o f such commissions, the Museum's marble goddesses form one o f the earliest
i m p o r t a n t groups o f gallery sculpture created by an English sculptor for an English
patron. Nollekens studied i n Rome for eight years, and his style, a mannered classicism
inflected by coy charm, exhibits the influence o f b o t h ancient and sixteenth-century
Italian sculpture. T h e statue o f Venus draws u p o n a range o f sculptural sources for its
composition, i n c l u d i n g works by the Florentine Mannerist sculptor Giambologna.
Nollekens's interest i n Giambologna, as well as his inventive embellishments o n basic
mythological themes, underscores his lyrical and less rigid approach to the classical past.
PAF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
97
35
CLAUDE MICHEL,
called Clodion
o f his terracottas became such that, as his earliest biographer records, these works were
circa 1775
Terracotta
"bought by amateurs even before they were finished." A m o n g his clients was Empress
Catherine I I o f Russia, w h o attempted, w i t h o u t success, to attract C l o d i o n to her court.
CLODION
PF
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE
99
36 Attributed to
PHILIPPE-LAURENT
ROLAND
French (Paris), 1746-1816
Allegorical
Group with a
cm (26!/2 in.)
97.SC.9
T h i s group centers around the bust o f a man set on a classicizing, circular pedestal.
A female figure i n antique costume and standing i n the casual, cross-legged pose often
found i n depictions o f muses, wraps her left arm around the bust, w h i c h she points out
to t w o small children. O n e c h i l d sits u p o n a stool, l o o k i n g up and gesturing toward the
portrait, while the other enthusiastically tries to c l i m b the pedestal for a better view. O n
the ground behind the standing child are the attributes o f an architectcompass, square,
globe, books, and rolled sheets o f paperindicating the profession o f the sitter. Finally,
a small dog, traditional symbol o f marital fidelity and familial piety, sits behind the
female figure, suggesting another aspect o f the life o f the subject, his role as a family man.
T h i s group integrates various elements typical o f commemorative sculpture. T h e
combination o f portrait bust and surrounding figures, for example, can be found i n t o m b
sculpture, although here the figures do not m o u r n b u t rather celebrate the sitter. I n fact,
the placement o f a portrait bust o n a classicizing base is a convention o f celebratory
images o f famous men. T h e casual interaction o f the figures w i t h the portrait almost
suggests a familial relationship, while the didactic gesture o f the w o m a n recalls the
popular eighteenth-century moralizing subject o f a mother instructing her children.
T h e a t t r i b u t i o n o f the group to Roland is based o n the soft, lyrical classicism
o f the female figure, an aspect o f his style developed d u r i n g a five-year stay i n Rome.
Furthermore, the sentimentality and the naturalism o f the groupevident i n the easy
pose o f the w o m a n and the careful rendering o f her anatomy, i n the playful energy o f
the children, and i n the softly modeled, sensitive quality o f the bustare characteristic
o f documented sculptures by Roland.
MC
EUROPEAN SCULPTURE 101
37 A N T O N I O C A N O V A
A n t o n i o Canova was considered the greatest Neoclassical sculptor from the 1790s
u n t i l his death, and he was the most famous European artist o f his time. Despite his
1757-1822
Apollo Crowning
Himself,
1781-1782
Marble
i n his career. Inspired by his first-hand study o f ancient statues, the figure served as an
exemplar o f the graceful style and idealized beauty that w o u l d become the sculptor's
ANT. CANOVA/VENET.
exhibit greater stylistic affinity to late Baroque and Rococo sculpture. T h i s statuette o f
FA
1781
95.SA.71
CIEBJ
Minerva
102 E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
38 J O H N D E A R E
John Deare was one o f the most accomplished and innovative British sculptors w o r k i n g
i n the Neoclassical style. H e signed this relief ("John Deare made it") i n Greek, rather
the sculptor Thomas Carter. I n 1780, he became the youngest artist to w i n the Royal
ancient sculpture. H e produced independent works there and achieved great success,
Marble
33.7 cm
( ^ / i
Academy's gold medal. Deare went to Rome i n 1785 o n an Academy stipend to study
in.)
particularly among British tourists m a k i n g the G r a n d Tour. His specialty was relief
Signed in Greek: I Q A N N H E
sculpture, and even Canova is said to have praised his w o r k . Deare's flourishing career
A E A P H EITOIEI
i n Rome was cut short by his early death, reportedly from a fever brought o n by his
98.SA.4
purposefully falling asleep o n a cold block o f marble, seeking inspiration for his next
w o r k from his dreams.
T h i s relief shows Venus, goddess o f love and beauty, reclining o n a sea monster
i n the f o r m o f a goat w i t h a fish tail. Venus entwines her fingers i n the beard o f the
goata variation o n the chin-chucking gesture that traditionally represents erotic
i n t e n t a n d the beast licks her hand i n response. C u p i d , astride the monster, is about
to shoot an arrow at Venus, and a p u t t o holds a flaming torch at the center o f the
scene, adding to the amorous imagery. T h a t the relief represents an allegory o f Lust
is suggested by the placement o f Venus o n the sea goatfrom medieval times, Lust
was represented by a w o m a n r i d i n g a goat.
T h e sea goat carries Venus t h r o u g h the frothy waves, carved w i t h the energy and
precision characteristic o f Deare's virtuoso relief technique. Deare's reliefs typically
present a great variety i n levels o f carving, displayed here, for example, by the fully
three-dimensional snout o f the sea goat, the body o f Venus i n half-relief, and the l o w
relief o f the C u p i d and p u t t o . I n contrast to the cool, polished finish c o m m o n l y found
o n Neoclassical marble sculpture, Deare's works present a heightened sensuality, w i t h
traces o f tool and d r i l l marks conveying a sense o f the physical labor involved i n marble
carving. T h e refined maniera grace o f the figure o f Venus was inspired as m u c h by
sixteenth-century Florentine sculpture as i t was by antiquity.
104 E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
M C and PF
39 J O S E P H
CHINARD
C h i n a r d was the leading French Empire sculptor and, after Canova, the favored
Philippe-
sculptor o f Napoleon and the Bonaparte family. Like the painter Jean-AugusteD o m i n i q u e Ingres, C h i n a r d executed many large historical and mythological works,
but he was especially prized as a brilliant portraitist. Particularly innovative i n dealing
w i t h the formal problems o f truncation i n busts, C h i n a r d mitigated the effect o f
56 cm (22^16 in.)
the cuts and unified the bust w i t h its socle or pedestal through his clever use o f
85.SC.82
106 E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PF
40
PIERRE-JEAN D A V I D
D a v i d d'Angers was the most innovative and influential portrait sculptor o f the
D'ANGERS
Romantic period. His early works, such as this bust o f a young American w o m a n , also
cm(18!/4in.)
P.J.
DAVID/1824
93.SA.56
PAF
41 A N T O I N E - L O U I S B A R Y E
Barye was the greatest sculptor o f animal bronzes i n the nineteenth century, as well
1834-1835
observation o f natural forms and often emphasizes the violent and predatory aspects
BARYE
85.SE.48
o f his subjects, placing h i m firmly w i t h i n the French Romantic movement. I n the late
1820s, Barye began what w o u l d become a lifelong practice o f m a k i n g drawings o f
animals kept i n captivity at the zoo o f the Jardin des Plantes, as well as o f specimens
and skeletons preserved i n the Laboratoire d'Anatomie Comparee at the Musee
a Gnu. T h e Museum's plaster and red wax model for this bronze represents
114 E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
PAF
42
H E N R Y W E E K E S , R.A.
ARA.ISc.
95.SA.82
1859.
WEEKES,
of Mrs.
Seacole in Many Lands, an autobiography published i n 1857, was a huge popular and
commercial success, m a k i n g hers a household name i n V i c t o r i a n England. Seacole's
identification i n this bust is based o n its close resemblance i n facial type and hairstyle
to documented portraits o f her, i n c l u d i n g a watercolor i n the National Library o f
Jamaica and a terracotta bust i n the Institute o f Jamaica.
Weekes, a p u p i l o f Francis Chantrey ( 1 7 8 1 - 1 8 4 1 ) , established himself primarily
as a portraitist and held the position o f Professor o f Sculpture at the Royal Academy
i n L o n d o n from 1868 to 1876. A l t h o u g h the majority o f his busts rely on Neoclassical
types established by Chantrey, Weekes sought to introduce an element o f fancy or
invention i n t o the genre o f portrait sculpture. H i s bust o f Seacole, by far his most
imaginative portrait, combines the naturalistic and the fantastical. T h e face is
realistically modeled, recording every nuance and dimple i n the flesh, and the thick,
crimped hair is gathered back i n a snood, a contemporary hair accessory. A t the same
time, the head and chest seem to sprout from a cluster o f gently curving palm leaves
that effortlessly bear the weight o f the marble, and the whole is set atop a convex ring
o f stylized foliage. Weekes's innovative, whimsical design and masterful carving make
the Bust of Mary Seacole one o f his most accomplished works.
PAF
43 J E A N - B A P T I S T E
CARPEAUX
and he was the favored portrait sculptor o f Napoleon I I I and his court. Generally,
Gerdme,
1872-1873
the style o f Carpeaux's portraits reflects the Rococo revival that permeated m u c h o f
the period's sculpture. However, Carpeaux's works are also infused w i t h considerable,
often poignant, realism.
T h e Bust of Jean-Leon
Marble
W i t h socle: 61 cm (24 in.)
political reasons, was forced to seek exile i n England. I t is arguably one o f the most
handsome and engaging sculpted portrait heads o f the nineteenth century. Carpeaux
88.SA.8
PF
44
ALBERT-ERNEST
T h i s terracotta sculpture depicts the renowned French writer Alexandre Dumas pere
CARRIER-BELLEUSE
1824-1887
Cristo ( b o t h o f w h i c h are m e n t i o n e d
to
circa 1883
Terracotta
80.7 cm (31 /4in.)
A. CARRIER
BELLEUSE.
MOUSQUETAiRESJ
VINGTAns
CinQ/LA
APREsJLES
QUARANtE
ComtESSE de
AngEPiTOU/LA
CHARNY.I
REiNEMARGOT.I
AcTEJEtc.
to the dramatic t u r n o f his head and the intensity o f his facial expression. W i t h the
fingers o f his right hand positioned to h o l d a pen and his left h a n d resting o n a pile o f
manuscript pages, Dumas gazes outward as i f momentarily interrupted from his creative
endeavors. T h e figure o f Dumas forms a strong vertical mass, and the composition as a
whole is conceived i n broad, simple terms. I n this respect, the design foreshadows one
Etc. Etc.
94.SC.19
120 EUROPEAN
SCULPTURE
PAF
45 A D O L F V O N
Hildebrand was one o f the leading German sculptors o f his time. Trained i n
HILDEBRAND
ancient and Renaissance art; from the 1890s u n t i l his death, he divided his t i m e
( 1 9 / i 6 in.)
u
86.SC.729
termination o f the double bust i n a straight horizontal line below the chests, the use
o f a l o w oval p l i n t h , and the choice o f polychromed terracotta as the m e d i u m all recall
Italian portrait and reliquary busts o f the late fifteenth century.
T h e Museum's sculpture depicts Hildebrand's daughters Silvia, age four, and
Bertel, age three. T h i s touching and sensitive portrayal stands out among the more
restrained, official portrait commissions and monuments that constitute the majority
o f the artist's w o r k . A l t h o u g h the double-bust format is rare i n the history o f sculpture,
it was a popular type i n late Neoclassical and Romantic paintings, where i t was used
to emphasize the emotional ties between lovers, friends, or relatives. H i l d e b r a n d was
one o f the few sculptors to adopt this formula for a freestanding sculpted portrait.
His intimate depiction, w h i c h captures his younger daughter i n a m o m e n t o f private
reverie, is a tribute to the affectionate connection between the artist and his subjects.
PAF
122 E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
46
GEORGE M I N N E
Minne's earliest works were relatively academic, b u t by the late 1880s he had begun
Symbolist style. T h e tone o f these works, often melancholy or mystical i n feeling, was
Laten), 1866-1941
Adolescent I, circa 1891
Marble
42.9 cm (16 /s in.)
7
widely apart and the legs locked stiff at the knees. T h e youth exposes his body, thrusting
97.SA.6
his head is flung back and his arms raised to cover i t , as i f i n shame or anguish. Thus,
by his use o f an extraordinary inverted Y pose, the artist has produced a hieroglyphic
symbol o f the ambiguity o f adolescent sexuality. To create such a t h i n figure w i t h such
widely spread legs was also a tour de force o f marble carving.
PF
47 V I N C E N Z O G E M I T O
Italian (Naples), 1852-1929
Medusa, 1911
Parcel-gilt silver
l
GEMITO
86.SE.528
Gemito
("wail" or "moan"). As a street urchin at the age o f nine, he found w o r k i n the studio
o f a painter. I n 1868, w h e n he was only sixteen, he exhibited at the Protomotrice
d i N a p o l i , and his w o r k was bought for the city. W h i l e w o r k i n g o n t w o i m p o r t a n t
state commissions, G e m i t o experienced a serious mental depression. I n 1887 he was
c o m m i t t e d to a sanitarium, but he immediately ran away and returned home, where
for about twenty years he remained hidden i n a single r o o m , secluded from the outside
w o r l d , seeing only a few friends and w o r k i n g i n t e r m i t t e n t l y o n subjects readily at
hand (drawings o f dead fish, for example, and portraits o f his wife). I n 1 9 0 9 - 1 9 1 0
he returned to the w o r l d . F r o m this time u n t i l his death i n 1929 he led a relatively
normal life, c o n t i n u i n g to draw and to sculpt i n the vein he had established before
his self-imposed withdrawal.
His works display a search for formal beauty based o n Hellenistic ideals and a
mastery o f craftsmanship w h i c h rivals that o f Renaissance artists. T h e Getty Medusa
is closely based u p o n the greatest surviving cameo from antiquity, the Tazza
Farnese,
w h i c h the artist must have studied at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.
G e m i t o used the scale m o t i f o f stretched snakeskin, w h i c h appears at the outer edge
126 E U R O P E A N SCULPTURE
o f the antique image, and extended i t , w r a p p i n g i t around to create the entire back
o f his w o r k . I n so d o i n g G e m i t o created a new type o f sculpture that is neither a
decorative object (such as a b o w l or tazza) w i t h sculptural embellishment nor a
traditional flat medallion w i t h decoration equally "weighted" to b o t h sides. Gemito's
Medusa falls i n t o a category o f its o w n : i t is relief-like but finished o n b o t h sides,
somewhere between a medallion and a fully sculpted object w i t h m u l t i p l e views.
Formed as an inverted shield, i t lies uncomfortably o n its snakeskin back, like a
talisman from the past w i t h its edges curled by time.
Gemito's attraction to the subject o f Medusa may have sprung i n part from the
sinuous graphic potential inherent i n the subject. T h e sensual aspect o f Gemito's style
is often closely linked to his use o f u n d u l a t i n g line to define form, and he seems to
have had a predilection for long-haired subjects that w o u l d allow h i m to exploit his
graphic facility. B u t i t is also possible to see this gorgeous severed head w i t h snakes as
a symbol o f the artist's lifelong preoccupation w i t h revealing the beautiful i n the ugly.
According to m y t h , the once-beautiful Medusa was transformed by Athena into a
terrible monster w i t h snakes instead o f hair and w i t h eyes that were able to t u r n men
into stone. She was decapitated by Perseus, and her severed head was believed to ward
o f f evil. Executed just as the artist was c o m i n g out o f his self-imposed seclusion, the
Medusas
PF
INDEX OF ARTISTS
Numerals refer to page numbers
Aspetti, Tiziano 40
Barye, Antoine-Louis 114
Saly, Jacques-Francois-Joseph 90
Girardon, Francois 78
Harwood, Francis 92
Heiden, Marcus 61
Hildebrand, Adolf von 122
Bernini, Gianlorenzo 52
Bouchardon, Edme 88
Bologna, Giovanni (Jean Boulogne,
called Giambologna) 33, 44
Laurana, Francesco 15
Tacca, Ferdinando 65
Meit, Conrat 18
Targone, Cesare 38
Caffieri, Jean-Jacques 94
Nollekens, Joseph 97
unidentified artists:
Flemish 70
Italian 30, 42
Verhulst, Rombout 68
Ottoni, Lorenzo 81
128 I N D E X OF ARTISTS