"ariadne Endormie" After The Ancient Roman Painting In The Vatican, Copied By Primaticcio For Francis I

A bronze sculpture with a nuanced brown patina, "Sleeping Ariadne," after the antique, on a white marble and gilt bronze base, 19th century. This bronze is inspired by a Roman marble, now in the Vatican, discovered at the end of the 15th or very beginning of the 16th century. It was purchased by Pope Julius II, who placed it in the Belvedere Palace in Rome. A few years later, King Francis I asked Primaticcio to go to Rome to acquire antiquities to decorate the Château de Fontainebleau. Unable to make all the acquisitions he desired, Primaticcio made casts to copy them upon his return to France. Primaticcio's Sleeping Ariadne is still in the Château de Fontainebleau today. This sculpture, which has fascinated people since its discovery, has inspired many sculptors, particularly those commissioned by powerful figures such as Louis XIV, who ordered a copy from Corneille Van Clève for the gardens of Versailles. It can be admired in the southern parterre at the top of the staircase leading down to the orangery. The Vatican marble, undoubtedly inspired by a Hellenistic bronze from the Pergamon school of the 2nd century BC, depicts Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, King of Crete. In love with Theseus, she gave him the thread that allowed him to escape the labyrinth after slaying the Minotaur. He abandoned Ariadne on a deserted island while she slept. Dionysus rescued her, fell in love with her, and married her... Our 19th-century bronze is exquisitely crafted, comparable to the work of the greatest founders of the period, such as Barbedienne. Rarely does it rest on an imposing marble and gilt bronze base, further enhancing its presence.
It is in good condition, with a discreet crack in the marble on one side of the base, which does not affect the structure (visible in the photos).
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