16TH CENTURY ITALIAN SCHOOL - Portrait of Alexander the Great

Descriptio Carved white marble. Height: 26 cm. This sculpture in the round represents a youthful male head, traditionally identified as Alexander the Great. Carved in white marble, it follows the sculptural models of classical antiquity, reinterpreted during the Italian Renaissance. The figure features an idealized face with a broad forehead, a straight and prominent nose, full lips slightly parted, and a rounded chin—elements that lend the figure a serene, noble, and somewhat introspective expression. The almond-shaped eyes, without pupils, are angled slightly upward, giving the face an elevated expression reminiscent of the heroic models of Hellenistic sculpture. The treatment of the hair is particularly striking, arranged in abundant wavy locks that frame the forehead and descend around the temples and ears, rendered with deep furrows and volumes of remarkable plasticity. This hairstyle finds its echo in the characteristic anastoles, the upturned locks of hair traditionally associated with depictions of Alexander the Great, whose iconography was developed by Greek sculptors such as Lysippus during the 4th century BC. The head is slightly tilted and subtly turned, breaking the absolute frontality and lending naturalism and dynamism to the composition. The modeling of the facial surfaces combines softly polished areas with more pronounced volumetric transitions in the eyelids, nose, and mouth, while the hair exhibits a treatment of greater depth and expressiveness. Stylistically, the work can be linked to the revival of classical models that took place in Italian Renaissance sculptural workshops, particularly in the Florentine and Roman sculpture of the 16th century, when representations of emperors, philosophers, and heroes of Antiquity acquired renewed importance in the decorative programs of palaces and humanist collections. Its formal conception allows for comparative references with the sculptural tradition of Andrea del Verrocchio (Florence, c. 1435–Venice, 1488), due to the emphasis on individualizing features and the treatment of hair, as well as with certain works from the circle of Baccio Bandinelli (Florence, 1493–1560), due to the revival of heroic prototypes from Antiquity. These comparisons are based solely on stylistic affinities and do not imply attribution to these sculptors. The identification of the figure with Alexander the Great should be considered traditional or hypothetical, since the absence of unequivocal iconographic attributes prevents confirmation of his identity. The marble surface exhibits small stains, surface deposits, irregularities, and wear.Particularly visible in the strands of hair and the lower neck area, where an irregular finish can be seen, which could correspond to its separation from a larger sculptural composition or to a later adaptation for its presentation as an independent head. The piece is displayed on a dark backing. The chronological attribution to the 16th century is based on the information provided and requires confirmation through direct examination, material analysis, and art-historical study, given that the revival of classical models was also common in later periods. The sculpture is an interesting representation of the Greco-Roman-inspired heroic portrait tradition, characterized by the idealization of features, restrained expressiveness, and the prominence of the volumetric treatment of the hair. Lot in international warehouse (within the EU). Intra-EU shipment: no import duties apply within the EU. An export permit from the country of origin may be required.

Utropspris:SEK 55,629.77

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