Large 20th Century Antimony Water Carrier Sculpture with Marble Base, Naples, Italy

Details

Description

MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 36.5 cm; Width: 15 cm; Depth: 14.5 cm; Weight: 2.393 kg

Item :
Periodical full-body sculpture of a … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 36.5 cm; Width: 15 cm; Depth: 14.5 cm; Weight: 2.393 kg

Item :
Periodical full-body sculpture of a young water carrier captured in the act of pouring liquid from a jug, an ornamental work characterized by graceful dynamism and a fresh, compositional immediacy. The casting technique is antimony metal alloy (historically also known as régule), with a surface finish of a dark, bronze-effect patina that lends warmth and depth to the sculptural details. Structurally, the figure of the boy rests on a naturalistic base embellished at the feet by two additional carrying jugs, the whole firmly anchored to a square block of light-colored, veined marble that serves as a pedestal and enhances the silhouette. The decoration and modeling focus on the anatomical rendering of the boy, depicted wearing only shorts, and on the attention to detail, such as the smooth surface of the wine jars and the wavy locks of hair, elements that constitute the most pleasing and interesting features, appreciated for their exquisite decorative value. The production period is in the first half of the twentieth century, more precisely around the 1920s or 1940s, and the place of production is believed to be the Neapolitan area, where artistic foundries mass-produced these refined furnishing accessories for the bourgeoisie of the time. The work does not feature any engraved signature or visible foundry mark on the back or base. The choice of antimony as the material is typical of early-century serial productions, created to emulate the more expensive parlor bronzes, while the subject typology recalls the models of young fishermen and water carriers in the veristic style, popular in Neapolitan artistic production by artists such as Giovanni De Martino and Achille d'Orsi.

Artist and/or manufacturer information:
The production of sculptures in antimony and similar metal alloys flourished between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in France and Italy, to meet the growing demand for art objects among the bourgeoisie. Antimony, often combined with tin and lead in the alloy commonly known as "régule," offered art workshops and foundries an extremely fluid casting material, capable of faithfully copying the details of wax or plaster models while maintaining significantly lower manufacturing costs than bronze. Many of these factories employed exceptionally skilled artisans who reproduced, sometimes modified or left anonymous, successful subjects presented at the Paris Salons or national exhibitions, such as the famous figures of street urchins, fishermen, and water carriers from the Italian tradition, or French allegorical models. Although it is not possible to associate this sculpture with a single illustrious name in the history of art, it remains a precious testimony to the craftsmanship and taste for beauty that characterized European manufacturing in the last century, capable of transforming a simple metal alloy into a timeless furnishing object. See less