Bidspirit auction | AN ITALIAN, 19TH CENTURY PAIR

AN ITALIAN, 19TH CENTURY PAIR OF BUSTS OF YOUNG BOYS IN CARVED WOOD AND PATINATED BRONZE - A finely modeled pair of busts depicting the same youthful subject—one carved in warm-toned fruitwood with a smooth, hand-polished surface, the other cast in darkly patinated bronze. Both figures present the same tender pose, with the child’s head slightly inclined and eyes downcast, conveying a sense of introspection and innocence characteristic of 19th-century Italian sentimental sculpture. The wooden bust reveals the carver’s mastery of naturalistic modeling through gentle transitions of light across the softly rounded features and hair, while the bronze version translates the same design into a more formal and enduring medium. Mounted on matching turned ebonized bases with a ring of bead ornament, they were likely conceived as complementary studio models, an interplay between sculptural materials that fascinated Italian craftsmen of the late Neoclassical and early Romantic periods (circa 1850–1880). Comparable examples of paired wood and bronze busts of children are known from northern Italian workshops in Florence and Milan, where sculptors such as Giovanni Duprè and Pio Fedi popularized domestic-scale portraiture imbued with emotional realism. Please make all inquiries before bidding. All lots are sold ”as-is”, refer to our T&C. Helios Auctions offers in-house shipping. In case we can not accommodate a shipping request, a list of additional shippers will be provided. Please note that this lot is located in Europe and will be shipped to the winner from our European warehouse. Dimensions: H: 12 in., (31 cm.) Condition: Wood bust: minor natural surface shrinkage and a few small age-related fissures to the base. Warm original patina, never overcleaned. Bronze bust: even dark brown patina with subtle lighter highlights. Minor rubbing to high points consistent with age; base with a fine age-related crack at one edge. No restorations visible under close inspection.