Lot 41: RINALDO RINALDI, (ITALIAN, 1793-1873), Allegory attribution: Achilles and Penthesilea, Three carved figures in white Italian marble....

RINALDO RINALDI
(ITALIAN, 1793-1873)
Allegory attribution: Achilles and Penthesilea
Three carved figures in white Italian marble.
Rinaldo Rinaldi
Born: April 13, 1793-July 28, 1873
A hand carved white Italian marble sculpture depicts a nude male embracing a mortally wounded, Greco-Roman robed female figure, collapsing in inevitable death, while clutching the hand of a putti figure that holds a bound reed torchier that drags the ground in emanate danger of extinguishing. The figures are supported on a round base and tree stump that is signed "Fece Rinaldo Rinaldi" at back. A spear lay between their feet.
This sculpture exhibits Romantic elements, a feature typical of Italian art during the turn of the 19th century. The dramatic scene depicted likely exposes the tempestuous political climate in flux within the yet-to-be-unified nation of Italy. Invading Napoleonic forces had conquered the region, subjugating its peoples to the rule of the French Empire, during the years 1809-1814.
The Allegory of Achilles and Penthesilea reflects the collective sentiments, both touching and complex, of the Italian peoples during this tumultuous time expounding feelings of admiration and fear; triumph and tragedy; victory and defeat; love and loathing, all experienced by both the Italians and the French, as the Italian state moved towards unification, and thus, the subsequent French defeat and expulsion from Italian lands. The symbolism and composition found here is likely a confluence of classical, as well as Italian and French, aestheticism and imagery.
Rinaldo Rinaldi worked throughout Italy during his lifetime. At the age of 18, he moved to Venice to study under the tutelage of Leopoldo Cicognara and Matteini, and at age 19, he headed to Rome, where he became a pupil of the renowned sculptor Canova. He was designated an honorary member of the Accademia di Belle Arti of Venice and the Academy of Rome, and was decorated with the Order of St. Gregory by Pope Pius IX. He was also bestowed the honor of knighthood by King Vittorio Emanuele II, as a Cavalier of the Order of the Crown of Italy.
Note: Cracking to base and at neck of putti figure. Mildew and statue's outdoor exposure contributing to wear of marble. Mild deterioration detected to eye of the putti figure, and on folds of the female figure's robe near base. Loss of index finger on the female figure. In very good condition, wear commensurate with age. General professional restoration recommended.

71 1/2 x 34 x 41 inches (181.6 x 86.4 x 104.1 cm).