Two Portrait Busts Of 19th Century Neapolitan Aristocrats. Charles X Era, Circa 1820.

Two portrait busts of 19th century Neapolitan aristocrats.
Charles X era, circa 1820. Material: plaster.

Maximum height 67cm

It depicts two portraits, modeled by a sculptor in the late Empire era, which depict two aristocrats from Southern Italy.
The Neapolitan origin of the two sculptures suggests the probable proximity of the figures to Bourbon environments. Sophisticated lady's hairstyle with double braid, attention to the costume, gives a strict look, but with luxury elements of clothing.
While the male bust, perhaps still under the influence of the more purely neoclassical style, has a more "heroic" appearance, invested with more civic virtues, with a proud, decisive appearance and of great character.
The two busts have certainly had many vicissitudes: there are traces of old restorations on the woman's neck, remnants of old dark colour, grease in the depressions and wounds, we can imagine that according to fashion they were painted in fake bronze at the end of the 19th century.
All this overlapping of layers gives a charm and patina of an ancient object, not excessively and not obsessively restored.