Lot 96: Paolo Emilio Demi, Italian (1797-1863) A mid 19th century Carrara marble figure of a girl Innocence

the young girl holding a small posy of lilies and roses in her left hand, looking down to her right, a serpent biting her left little finger, a tree trunk beside her, on a naturalistic base, signed E. DEMI F., 113cm high (44" high)

Paolo Emilio Demi studied at the Academy and worked in Pisa, Florence and Rome, under the important Neo-Classical sculptor Antonio Canova. He became one of the leading exponents of the Neo-Classical style in Tuscany, returning to Livorno, his place of birth to produce numerous statues and monuments. He produced the monument to Leopold II for the Piazza dei Granduchi which was damaged during the riots of 1849, as well as works for the church of San Gregorio, and a statue of Galilieo Galilei for the University of Pisa.
Related Literature:
Benezit, Dictionaire de Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, Vol. III, published 1966, page 176.