The goose shrike Rosso antico marble. Full-bodied sculpture of a small boy with a goose. H 33 cm. On an oval fluted base of white and green marble, surrounded by beaded bands of fire-gilt bronze H 44, W 34, D 26 cm. Rome, attributed to the late 18th / early 19th century. The sculpture of the little boy hugging the goose so tightly that he strangles it was already attributed in antiquity to the sculptor Boethos of Kalchedon, who was active in the 2nd century BC. The copy in the Louvre was found in 1792 in Rome on the Via Appia, in the Villa des Quintilii. The Glyptothek in Munich also owns a copy, which is considered to be the best preserved of the eleven known originals. Since its rediscovery, the Ganswürger has been admired and much copied, although mostly in cast bronze. This precious version, made of dark red marble with a few fine white spots, dates from around 1800. Unfortunately, it is not signed, so we do not know the name of the sculptor. The artist has interpreted the support under the goose as a naturalistic tree stump, there is vegetation on the plinth and the top of the base has been worked with a gradina.