Lot 195
Manner of Niccolo Roccatagliata (Italian - Venetian, 1593-1636). Bust of a Youth. Bronze protome, n.d. A finely cast bronze bust protome in the manner of Niccolo Roccatagliata (Italian, ca. 1593 to 1636), renowned Venetian sculptor of the early Baroque. This expressive fragment, likely once affixed to a firedog, candelabrum, or ecclesiastical fitting, depicts a youthful putto with voluminous curling hair and a wistful, upward gaze. His full cheeks, rounded jawline, and parted lips evoke both innocence and exaltation, rendered with a sensitivity that recalls Roccatagliata's figures on the choir balustrade of San Giorgio Maggiore. The bust is clothed in a deeply rippled tunic gathered along the chest, its edges curling into a scalloped lower hem that terminates in a soft arc of rhythmic folds. Size: 2" W x 2.9" H (5.1 cm x 7.4 cm); 5.6" H (14.2 cm) on included custom stand.
The dark, near-ebonized patina heightens the play of light across the surface, accentuating the Baroque preference for drama, movement, and the fusion of spiritual elevation with corporeal presence. Such works were commonly mounted to domestic or ecclesiastic furnishings, especially in Venice, where Roccatagliata and his contemporaries found favor among patrons of church, guild, and palace. Whether conceived as a cherub or allegorical youth, the piece carries the hallmark balance of idealized form and emotional immediacy that defines early Baroque sculpture.
Provenance: private Dayton, Maryland, USA collection; ex-private Baltimore, Maryland, USA collections, acquired via Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA in 2019; ex-private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private German collection, acquired before 1995
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#195033
- Condition: Light surface wear, but otherwise, intact and excellent with patinated surface. Adhered to custom stand.
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|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |