A FLORENTINE BRONZE OF NESSUS AND DEIANIRA
17th century, in the manner of Francesco Fanelli (fl.1608-1641), depicting Nessus rearing and holding the struggling Deianira in his arms, 21.75cm high on a rectangular pedestal base, 30cm high overall
Provenance: Purchased from Daniel Katz Ltd., Jermyn Street, London SW1Y
Private collection, Hampshire.
| Condition Report: |
click here
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| Estimate: |
£2,000 - £4,000
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Hammer price:
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£3,500 |
Bidding ended. Lot has been sold.
Note: This popular theme from ancient Greek mythology is one of the tales recounted in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Having offered to carry Hercules and his wife Deianira across the river Euenos, the centaur Nessus took advantage of the situation to ravish Deianira. Hercules, observing the scene from the river bank, drew his bow and fired an arrow, which pierced the centaur’s chest.
Francesco Fanelli
Little is known about Francesco Fanelli (born c.1577 - died c.1641). Fanelli, a Florentine by birth, was documented in Genoa in 1608, where, until about 1631, he produced religious works in marble, silver, ivory and bronze. By 1635, he was working at the English court. Although he described himself as ‘sculptor to the King of Great Britain’, it is unclear whether this title was official. The V&A owns versions of several small bronzes by the artist, described as “francisco the one-eyed Italian” in an inventory of Whitehall Palace in 1639. George Vertue stated that Fanelli “lv’d and dyd in England”; he is last documented in 1641 and believed to have died soon after.
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