White marble frieze from a tomb with a portrait of a man, by Vincenzo Consani, Italy (Lucca), mid 19th century

White marble frieze in three compartments, divided by candelabra. In the centre is a medallion portrait of a man with a gold chain round his neck. On either side are two clasped hands, grouped with a palm and olive branch.

Purchased in Florence.
The frieze was purchased as a part of a destroyed tomb by Matteo Civitali, formerly in the Cathedral of Lucca. It was said to have been discovered by the Lucchese sculptor Vincenzo Consani (1815-1887). However, a cast of it is among a group of casts of works by Consani presented to the Accademia of Lucca, and the frieze which is a crude pastiche of the style of Civitali, is undoubtedly Consani's own work. Consani is known to have been a forger from the fact that he forged a tabernacle in the style of Civitali which he sold to the Museo Nazionale in Lucca.

Historical significance: A cast of the relief is among a group of casts of works by Vincenzo Consani presented to the Academia of Lucca. Consani is known to have been a forger from the fact that he forged a tabernacle in the style of Civitali which he sold to the Museo Nationale, Lucca. The relief is markedly inferior in quality to any known work by Civitali. It is difficult to make sense of the composition, and the function of the relief is impossible to determine. The motif of the clasped hands appears to have been copied from a medal of Vespasian. It appears likely that the relief is a deliberate forgery by Consani: a crude pastiche of the style of Civitali, compounded of elements adapted from the tomb of Piero da Noceto or the Altar of St. Regulus.
By: A.F.R. 21/07/1977
The most complete study of Consani's life is given in Enrico Ridolfi, 'Delle vita e delle opere di Vincenzo Consani scultore', Florence, 1888.

Formerly ascribed to Matteo Civitali

This marble frieze is made by Vincenzo Consani in Italy (Lucca) in the mid 19th century.

The frieze was purchased as a part of a destroyed tomb by Matteo Civitali, formerly in the Cathedral of Lucca. It was said to have been discovered by the Lucchese sculptor Vincenzo Consani. However, a cast of it is among a group of casts of works by Consani presented to the Accademia of Lucca, and the frieze which is a crude pastiche of the style of Civitali, is undoubtedly Consani's own work. Consani is known to have been a forger from the fact that he forged a tabernacle in the style of Civitali which he sold to the Museo Nazionale in Lucca.

5899-1859