Bust Depicting Maria De' Medici, Queen Of France, In White Carrara Statuary Marble

Is there any work of art as fascinating and unique as this Bust? A monumental work that eclipses every other creation: here, marble no longer appears as cold stone, but as a living material that seems to breathe and speak. The immortal words of Michelangelo, who knew the secret soul of stone, come to mind: “The greatest artist knows that a single block of marble is not limited to its own surface, and that only the hand that obeys the intellect can achieve this...” An exclusive bust depicting Maria de’ Medici, Queen of France. (Peter Kaus Museum). The creator of this marvel is the Italian sculptor Cesare Scheggi (Lucca, 1833 – Florence, 1876). Iconography: nobility in the details. The jacket, the sumptuous stiff collar embroidered with lace, and the hairstyle adorned with intertwined pearls faithfully reproduce the famous portraits of Maria de’ Medici (1575–1642) by masters such as Frans Pourbus the Younger and Peter Paul Rubens. Maria de’ Medici is credited with popularizing this sumptuous ruff, worn at the nape of the neck, throughout Europe. For a 19th-century Tuscan sculptor like Cesare Scheggi, celebrating the grandeur of the Medici dynasty through its most illustrious members was a classic theme, highly prized by collectors of the time. Detail of the jewelry: the pendant she wears around her neck is a finely crafted eight-pointed star. In aristocratic iconography, this piece of jewelry is a symbol of the Order of Saint Stephen (a chivalric order founded by Cosimo I de’ Medici). The decoration consists of an eight-pointed cross (or octagonal cross), generally red on a white background, identical in shape to that of the Knights of Malta, but with the colors reversed. The eight points of the cross represent the eight Beatitudes of the Gospel; the insignia of Saint Stephen was traditionally a military and religious symbol, but in the case of this bust, it was adapted for Queen Maria de’ Medici. This masterpiece is entirely carved from a single block of white Carrara marble, a material of exceptional quality, weighing 80 kg, making it a work of the highest value • Dimensions: 75 cm high x 50 cm wide x 27 cm deep • In perfect condition. The most important work ever exhibited in our Cenzi Gallery, both for its attention to detail and its perfection.