19th Century Grand Tour Bronze Statuette Of The Sleeping Faun, Signed Masulli

19th century Grand Tour bronze statuette of the Sleeping Faun, signed Masulli

Bronze, height 28 cm, width of base 17 cm

Signed ‘E. Masulli’ in the base

Provenance: private collection, The Netherlands

*

Superb and very rare 19th century Grand Tour Neapolitan patinated bronze of the Sleeping Faun, also known as the Sleeping Satyr. The original, excavated from the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum in 1752, can now be seen at the National Archaeological Museum, Naples. Italian, after the antique, circa 1840-60.

Signed ‘E. Masulli’ on the base, normally identified with Pietro Masulli, the famous Neapolitan sculptor who first put into practice the idea of copying the ancient works of art in high quality, using the methods of Cellini. Masulli founded an art school in the Reale Ospizio dell' Albergo dei Poveri, situated in Naples, and through his hard work succeeded in endowing Naples with two permanent galleries for ancient art, the first in the Galleria Principe di Napoli, the second in Piazza dei Martiri. The works thus reproduced rapidly achieved popularity in Italy and abroad. After Masulli's death, his pupil Gennaro Chiurazzi re-established the disbanded foundry under a new name and in a new location in 1870, the celebrated Fonderia Chiurazzi.

Very good condition and beautiful patina. Very beautiful contrast between the finishing of the bronz of the body and the base.

Shipping in Europe: EUR 25