JEAN DE BOULOGNE (GIAMBOLOGNA)'S CIRCLE (Douai, 1529 - Florence, 1608)

Bacchus. From Giambologna's ...

JEAN DE BOULOGNE (GIAMBOLOGNA)'S CIRCLE (Douai, 1529 - Florence, 1608)

Bacchus. From Giambologna's design.

Bronze. 24 x 9 x 9 cm with marble base; 13 x 6 x 5,5 cm just the statue

The bronze statuette offered herein is inspired by the famous Apollon by Giambologna, preserved at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.

This specimen, along with many other statuettes from Giambologna, are thought to be manufactured by the artist during his time in Rome and then casted in bronze; they maintain the freshness and the vitality of the original draft.

This statuette in particular was probably the first inspiration for the Apollo dello Studiolo.

To this series of scale models, crafted by the artist before he was commissioned bigger projects, belong the “small bathing woman” and the “bathing woman looking upwards”, both kept at the Bargello.

There are various duplicates of this subject, often unfinished, but left as rough drafts as a testimony to the original wax design.

Our Bacchus is a variant of the Apollino del Bargello, in which the log has been replaced by a vine plant and its grapes. Bacchus’s left hand is holding a horn.

This specimen is a rare replica; the original is kept at the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum of Brunswick. Another cast is at the Museum fur Kunst under Gewerbe, Hamburg.

These enchanting little statuettes were duplicated in the workshop by his apprentices, as well as by other artists who were looking to emulate the work of the master craftsman.

As with all the other bronze casts by the great Flemish artist, dogmatic categorizations should be avoided, since disagreements over this subject matter will always run rampart.

The statuette features alloy examination.