Orientalist 19th Century Italian White Marble Bust of Sulamitide

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Finely carved antique (late 19th century) bust of Sulamitide, of a scale and quality equal to the works of the … Read more Finely carved antique (late 19th century) bust of Sulamitide, of a scale and quality equal to the works of the finest 19th century Italian masters such as Pasquale Romanelli (1812-1887) and Pietro Bazzanti (1825-1895).

A familiar and beloved subject, she is depicted wearing a jeweled head-dress with "Sulamitide" inscribed on the coins hanging on her forehead, and with her breast framed by a garland of flowers. A popular 18th and 19th century subject of Italian sculpture, the figure derives from the play, La Sulamitide, published in Rome in 1732 by Giuseppe Maria Ercolani, about a son of the king of Egypt during the time of Solomon. See less