Items for Sale:    Blumka Gallery

Figure of Morgante, Dwarf and Jester for the Medicis (c. 1625 Italy)

Country of Origin

Italy

Dated

c. 1625

Medium

Bronze

Dimensions

  5.00inch high
(  12.70 cm high)


Provenance

Acquired by Alfred Beit (1853-1906) in 1904; Alfred Beit Foundation since 2005

Literature

Bode, Wilhelm, The Art of Mr. Alfred Beit at His Residence 26 Park Lane London, Berlin 1904 (as Gian Bologna). Bode, Wilhelm, Catalogue of Pictures and Bronzes in the Possession of Mr. Otto Beit, London 1913, p. 106, no. 204 (as Gian Bologna).
Exhibition Catalogue, Giambologna 1529-1608, Ein Wendepunkt der europäischen Plastik, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna 1978, p. 44, pl. XV, pp. 135-138, no. 52. Exhibition Catalogue, European Bronzes from the Quentin Collection, The Frick Collection, New York, September 28, 2004 - January 2, 2005, no. 14, pp. 162 - 165.

Exhibition History

Catalogue of a Collection of Italian Sculpture and other Plastic Art of the Renaissance, Burlington Fine ARts Club, London 1913, no. 12, pl. XXX.

Description / Expertise

The nude dwarf holds a wind instrument (cornetto) in his right and a stick in his left hand. This figure of one of the most famous characters of the 16th century is known in various replicas which can be divided into two major variants. One showing Morgante as Bacchus with a wine cup in his right hand and our version with the cornetto in his right hand.