Bust Of A Young Fisherman - Vincenzo Gemito - Bronze On A Marble Base

This lost-wax cast bronze bust depicts a young boy with his head slightly inclined in an attitude of deep concentration. His youthful features are fine and delicate, while his abundant hair, sculpted in thick and irregular locks, conveys great vitality: the nervous, almost quivering volumes contrast with the smooth surface of the face. The warm patina of the bronze, with golden and brown highlights, enhances the sensual quality of the material and subtly emphasizes the play of light across the planes of the face.

Truncated at the chest, the bust focuses attention on the sitter’s expression, reinforcing the emotional intensity of the work. It rests on a polychrome marble base veined with red, white, and green, which provides an elegant contrast with the bronze.

Derived from The Neapolitan Fisherman, one of Vincenzo Gemito’s most famous works, this bust perfectly illustrates the sculptor’s art, combining realism with poetic sensitivity.

Vincenzo Gemito (1852–1929) was an Italian sculptor born in Naples. Abandoned at birth and raised in poverty, he showed exceptional talent for drawing and sculpture at an early age, which enabled him to enter the Naples Academy of Fine Arts while still young. He quickly gained recognition for his sculptures of street children, fishermen, and popular figures. His style is characterized by intense realism, great expressiveness, and direct observation of life. In the 1880s, Gemito enjoyed notable success, particularly in Paris. However, suffering from psychological disorders, he almost completely withdrew from sculpture for several years, devoting himself mainly to drawing. He partially returned to sculpture late in life and died in Naples in 1929. Today, he is regarded as one of the greatest modern Italian sculptors.

Bust of a Child, after The Neapolitan Fisherman (1876).
Lost-wax cast bronze sculpture, signed “Gemito,” resting on a polychrome marble base.
Stamped “Fonderia Gemito Napoli.”

Height: 50 cm.