Rare 19th Century Grand Tour Breccia Sculpted Sanguine Marble & Gilt Bronze Navicella

An exceptionally rare 19th-century Navicella in carved Breccia Sanguine marble and gilt bronze depicting the Grand Tour. This magnificent marble masterpiece is a true work of art, a variation of the ancient sculpture of a Roman galley known as a Navicella. Carved from one of the rarest and most beautiful stones in the world, Breccia Sanguine, its colors are a delight to the eye and evoke the hue of a volcanic lava flow. The galley's prow is adorned with a sculpted, ferocious, and superbly animated boar's head. The majestic lines soar from a base of Breccia Sanguine and Belgian Noir marble. Three sides are adorned with sumptuous gilt bronze mounts, finely cast, chased, and richly gilded. Each is adorned with a laurel wreath, studded with flowers, and its concave center is adorned with floral scrolls. One side of the base bears the golden Latin inscription “SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLVM”.