Lot 4: w - PIETRO FRANCHI ITALIAN, 1817-1878 AFTER CHARLES-AUGUSTE FRAIKIN (1817-1893)

VENUS ET L'AMOUR (VENUS & CUPID)

measurements note
group: 89cm., 35in. column: 106cm., 41¾in.

signed: Franchi Sc^t / Fraikin Inv^o

white marble, on veined white marble base (4)

PROVENANCE

Stokesay Court, Shropshire
Sold by Sotheby's, 28th September 1994, lot 161

NOTE

Charles-Auguste Fraikin studied at the Brussels Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts under Louis Jéhotte. His masterpiece L'Amour Captif won the gold medal at the Exposition Nationale des Beaux -Arts, Brussels in 1845. It was subsequently exhibited in London (1851) and Dublin (1853). Two marble versions were ordered for the Musée Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels and the Hermitage, St Petersburg. The lissom L'Amour Captif exemplifies Fraikin's graceful interpretation of Neo-classicism. The model proved to be extremely popular and was copied by sculptors across Europe.

Pietro Franchi worked in Carrara around 1870 and specialised in creating marble copies of famous contemporary statues.

RELATED LITERATURE
van Lennep, p.175