Neapolitan musician
Statuette
ca. 1855 (cast), ca.1839 (modelled)
ca. 1855 (cast), ca.1839 (modelled)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This bronze figure is by the French sculptor François-Joseph Duret (1804–1865), son and pupil of François-Joseph Duret (1729 or 1732–1816). Duret’s original large bronze, first exhibited at the Salon of 1839, was shown at the Exposition Universelle in Paris of 1855, where the present bronze reduction by Barbedienne was purchased. The original was bought by the Louvre in 1858. It was one of the most important early Romantic sculptures.
This cast, using Achille Collas' mechanical reduction method, reproduces the large bronze shown at the Paris Salon in 1839. Although the vine leaves in the youth's hair connect with a sculptural tradition of Bacchic themes, the figure is more an illustration of contemporary Neapolitan street life.
Sculptures of this kind became popular with figures shown by Duret and Rude in the 1833 Salon said to be based on 'models from the social class closest to nature', and described as 'the protestations of two sensitive artists...against the glacial dreams of the ideal'.
This cast, using Achille Collas' mechanical reduction method, reproduces the large bronze shown at the Paris Salon in 1839. Although the vine leaves in the youth's hair connect with a sculptural tradition of Bacchic themes, the figure is more an illustration of contemporary Neapolitan street life.
Sculptures of this kind became popular with figures shown by Duret and Rude in the 1833 Salon said to be based on 'models from the social class closest to nature', and described as 'the protestations of two sensitive artists...against the glacial dreams of the ideal'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Neapolitan musician (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Cast bronze |
| Brief description | Statuette, bronze, of a Neapolitan musician playing a mandolin; by François-Joseph (also known as Francisque-Joseph) Duret, France (Paris), model ca. 1839, cast ca. 1855. |
| Physical description | Statuette, bronze, of a young Neapolitan musician, with vine leaves in his hair, playing a stringed instrument. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | 'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900'
This cast, using Collas' mechanical reduction method, reproduces the large bronze shown at the Paris Salon in 1839. Although the vine leaves in the youth's hair connect with a sculptural tradition of Bacchic themes, the figure is more an illustration of contemporary Neapolitan street life. Such sculptures became popular with figures shown by Duret and Rude in the 1833 Salon said to be based on 'models from the social class closest to nature', and described as 'the protestations of two sensitive artists ... against the glacial dreams of the ideal'.(1987-2006) |
| Object history | François-Joseph Duret's original large bronze, first exhibited at the Salon of 1839, was shown in the Exposition Universelle of 1855, where the present bronze reduction by Barbedienne was purchased. The original was bought by the Louvre in 1858. It was one of the most important early Romantic sculptures. This cast, using Achille Collas' mechanical reduction method, reproduces the large bronze shown at the Paris Salon in 1839. Although the vine leaves in the youth's hair connect with a sculptural tradition of Bacchic themes, the figure is more an illustration of contemporary Neapolitan street life. |
| Historical context | Sculptures of this kind became popular with figures shown by Duret and Rude in the 1833 Salon said to be based on 'models from the social class closest to nature', and described as 'the protestations of two sensitive artists...against the glacial dreams of the ideal'. |
| Production | Smaller reproduction of the large bronze shown at the Paris Salon in 1839 |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This bronze figure is by the French sculptor François-Joseph Duret (1804–1865), son and pupil of François-Joseph Duret (1729 or 1732–1816). Duret’s original large bronze, first exhibited at the Salon of 1839, was shown at the Exposition Universelle in Paris of 1855, where the present bronze reduction by Barbedienne was purchased. The original was bought by the Louvre in 1858. It was one of the most important early Romantic sculptures. This cast, using Achille Collas' mechanical reduction method, reproduces the large bronze shown at the Paris Salon in 1839. Although the vine leaves in the youth's hair connect with a sculptural tradition of Bacchic themes, the figure is more an illustration of contemporary Neapolitan street life. Sculptures of this kind became popular with figures shown by Duret and Rude in the 1833 Salon said to be based on 'models from the social class closest to nature', and described as 'the protestations of two sensitive artists...against the glacial dreams of the ideal'. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 2700-1856 |
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| Record created | February 11, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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