Vintage Caproni Reproduction Bust of Athena/Minerva Sculpture

Details

Description

The reclining sphinx above “CAPRONI REPRODUCTION” — identifies this as a cast made by the P.P. Caproni and Brother firm … Read more The reclining sphinx above “CAPRONI REPRODUCTION” — identifies this as a cast made by the P.P. Caproni and Brother firm of Boston, Massachusetts. Established in the late 19th century, the Caproni company specialized in making high-quality plaster reproductions of classical and Renaissance sculptures for museums, universities, and private collectors.

This example is a mid-20th-century cast of the Bust of Athena/Minerva, wearing a crested Corinthian helmet. The Caproni firm offered several sizes of this model, based on originals from the Vatican Museums and other collections.
• Material: Plaster (often tinted or patinated, here painted black)
• Height: Commonly 10–14 inches
• Origin: P.P. Caproni and Brother, Boston, MA
• Era: Circa 1930s–1960s reproduction

Method

P.P. Caproni and Brother began in Boston around 1892, founded by Pietro Paulo Caproni, an Italian plaster artisan who trained in Florence. His firm became one of the most respected American producers of art casts.

They acquired rights to mold originals in major European museums — the Vatican, Louvre, British Museum, and others — by taking direct molds from classical sculptures. Their motto was authenticity and artistry: “Cast from the original.” See less