Vincenzo Vela (after) Bust Of Dante Alighieri - Marble Or Alabaster 30 Cm High, 8.6 Kg

Vincenzo VELA (1820-1891), after. – Bust of Dante ALIGHIERI.
White marble (or alabaster? Weight: 8.6 kg), unsigned model, 300 mm high.
Small chips at the bottom edges (see last photos), otherwise very good condition.
In 1864, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 700th anniversary of the poet's birth, the city of Padua commissioned a monumental statue of Dante from Vela. In 1866, from this model, the sculptor also carved a smaller version for the facade of his house in Ligornetto (currently the Vela Museum). Many other variants in marble and bronze, often donated by the sculptor himself, can be found in major Italian museums, including the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan, the Museo Revoltella in Trieste and the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Turin. The Dante Museum in Ravenna keeps a plaster model.