19th Century Bronze Plaque Sculpture Depicting Giuseppe Mazzini from Cesare Boneschi, Massari Foundry, 1895

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Description

Measurements:
diameter: 21.5 cm; thickness: 3 cm; total weight: 3.611 kg

item :
spectacular circular wall plaque in solid bronze … Read more Measurements:
diameter: 21.5 cm; thickness: 3 cm; total weight: 3.611 kg

item :
spectacular circular wall plaque in solid bronze from the early 19th century. Along the lower edge, the handwritten signature of the sculptor "c. Boneschi" (cesare boneschi) and the seal of the renowned "fonderia massari" are engraved in the bronze using a stylus, followed by the year of casting, "1895." this work represents a refined example of celebratory and monumental bronze sculpture from the height of the umbertine period, characterized by an extraordinarily vigorous sculptural structure and an intense, neo-renaissance-inspired expressiveness. 1895 was a crucial year for post-unification italy: it coincided with preparations for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the breach of porta pia and the celebration of the great fathers of the country. The stylistic choice of identically superimposing the same face (the large profile and its exact smaller replica) was an allegorical device typical of late-19th-century monumental sculpture, used to symbolize the continuity of an ideal, the reverberation of memory, or the immortality of the depicted sitter's thought across generations. In our opinion, this is the profile of giuseppe mazzini. The treatment of the face is of absolute sculptural merit, characterized by a vibrant, unfinished modeling inspired by the late scapigliatura movement, enhanced by a spectacular and dense original "verderame" patina (verdigris oxidation), typical of sculptures created for outdoor display. The structure is characterized by a full, flat back with the original iron pin, a technical testament to a massive artistic casting performed using the lost-wax or sand process (and therefore a unique piece), rather than a mass-produced plaque.

useful information for appraising the item:
large, solid bronze parade pieces, patriotic medallions, and commemorative plaques cast between the 19th and 20th centuries constitute a highly specific and well-documented collectible segment in the antiques market. Sculptor cesare boneschi's oeuvre features a diverse range of production: his small medals and honor tokens measuring just a few centimeters have historically fetched prices on the auction market between €40 and €90, while medium-sized decorative plaques with individual portraits typically range between €150 and €250. For works with unique characteristics, such as our plaque, the real estimate on the antiques market consistently ranges between €300 and €600. This particular plaque is among the artist's absolute pinnacle and most prestigious works, estimated, in our opinion, between €400 and €500. The significantly higher value is justified by the exceptional complexity of the medallion's two overlapping profiles and the pedigree of the renowned massari foundry, which oversaw its massive casting in 1895. This sculpture is sure to be of interest to collectors of 19th-century italian sculpture and historical memorabilia.

information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
the signature "c. Boneschi" combined with the seal of the "fonderia massari 1895" attests to the piece's origins within milan's most fertile and distinguished sculptural district of the late 19th century. Cesare boneschi was an esteemed italian sculptor and medallist, celebrated in lombard artistic circles of the late 19th century for his mastery of formal portraiture and the sculptural vigor he imbued with his creations. To cast his models in bronze, the artist relied on the renowned fonderia artistica massari, a leading institution in the field of lost-wax casting in italy, specializing in the creation of public monuments and commemorative plaques for royal and institutional commissions. These historic ateliers employed master casters of the highest caliber, capable of embodying the strong, material style of the master sculptors of the time. This plaque, cast in 1895, demonstrates the technical and artistic pinnacle achieved by the foundry in celebrating the great legends of the italian risorgimento, condensing the artisanal expertise and patriotic fervor of the turn of the century into a single bronze medallion. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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