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Probably France, late 19th century The bronze patinated plaster figure framed centrally on a worn velvet panel in a carved gilt wood frame. Repair to the tip of the nose and across the belly. The reverse of the panel with old red wax remains. Provenance: Bukowskis Auction, Sweden, 2014. Exhibited: Rafael Valls 'Sex & Sensuality' November 2018
Confidently modelled and patinated, the sculptor clearly had a very good understanding of 16th century Italian bronzes.
Human from the waist up, the figure’s youthful physique has the beginnings of feathery decoration to the tops of her legs and her finely modelled head with its billowing hair falling over her shoulder. All these reveal a sculptor adept at arranging their medium to manipulate the play of light across the surfaces further enhanced with worn faux-bronze patina.
It is not inconceivable that our sculptor was aware of the Siren
attributed to Camillo Mariani (Vicenza, 1565 - 1611) now in the MET Museum Collection (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/
search/210103). The Mariani bronze spent a period of the 19th century at the Chateau de Pregny.
The design is also reminiscent to the central sections of Venetian door knockers of the mid-1500’s. Whilst we see no obvious scales to the legs it could also be that our figure is a Nereid.
