Ferdinando Vichi (Italian, 1875-1945) A Fine Italian 19th Century Classical Lifesize Carrara Marble Group After Antonio Canova's "Venus Italica". The original work by Canova was made between 1804 and 1812 and commissioned by Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma, Queen of Etruria to replace the Medici Venus that was removed from the Florentine collection by Napoleon in 1802. The work is a beautiful combination of formal qualities and naturalness, an image of exquisite beauty suffused with spontancity inspired by several classical Venuses. Conova's goddess in imbued with touching sensuality, as Leopoldo Cicognara (a friend and sophisticated admirer of Canova) noted when he pointed out that'gentle grace" of the head elecated "the real expression" of the posture. An original group of this Venus Italica by Canova is currently a part of the collection at The Pitti Palace, Palatina Gallery in Florence. Signed: F. Vichi, Firenze - Made in Italy.
Height: 68 3/4 inches (174.6 cm)
Width: 22 1/4 inches (56.5 cm)
Ref.: A1643 - SOLD
Ferdinando Vichi was a central figure in the production of Florentine sculpture at the end of the 19th century. He is associated with the sculptors Cesare Lapini, Pietro Bazzanti and Guglielmo Pugi, all of whom executed works at The Galleria Bazzanti. The gallery, originally Bazzanti's studio, was inaugurated in 1822 and is still open today. His compositions are varied in subject matter, ranging from busts after the Antique to orientalist themes and Renaissance-inspired models. Like many other late nineteenth-century sculptors, Vichi often took inspiration from classical antiquity. The English inscription "Made in Italy" suggests the present sculpture was carved for export to England or America. Historicising romantic subjects were very popular in Italian sculpture of the late 19th century.
RELATED LITERATURE
Panzetta, vol. 1, p. 78
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