45 - Italian School, following the style of GIAMBOLOGNA; 17th century.

Italian School, following the style of GIAMBOLOGNA; 17th century. “Mercury.” Patinated bronze. Measurements: 58 x 30 x 15 cm. The figure of Mercury represents one of the great milestones of European Mannerist sculpture. His famous depiction, conceived by Giambologna around 1580, was an extraordinary demonstration of technical virtuosity and mastery of movement, depicting a figure balanced on the tip of one foot, with the body projected vertically into space. This solution, marked by great compositional audacity, made the model one of the most influential creations in late 16th-century Italian sculpture. The monumental prototype was commissioned by Cardinal Ferdinando de’ Medici and originally conceived as the capstone of a fountain in the gardens of the Villa Medici in Rome. It is currently housed in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. Its success gave rise to numerous bronze versions and smaller-scale casts, intended both for court commissions and private collections, contributing decisively to the international dissemination of Giambologna’s artistic language. This version, created in the 17th century, attests to the continuity and spread of this celebrated prototype. The choice of bronze and the adaptation of the model to a collectible format preserve the virtuosity of the original composition and reflect the enduring influence of Giambologna’s models on 17th-century Italian sculpture. Giambologna, the Italianized name of Jean de Boulogne, was born in Douai, in the former Netherlands, and was initially trained in the Flemish artistic tradition before moving to Italy around 1550. After settling in Florence, he enjoyed a brilliant career in the service of the Medici, becoming one of the most influential sculptors in 16th-century Europe.His work is characterized by anatomical refinement, the elegance of his figures, and his exploration of movement in space. His artistic language exerted a profound influence on Mannerist and Baroque sculpture, and his models were widely reproduced and reinterpreted by European workshops and sculptors. His legacy is represented in major international museum collections, including those of the Bargello National Museum in Florence and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York—institutions that house works and versions derived from his celebrated compositions.