AN ITALIAN CARVED MARBLE OVAL DEPICTING BACCHIC PUTTI
After François Duquesnoy (1597-1643), 18th century
In a carved part ebonized and giltwood frame.
height overall 30in (76.3cm); width 39in (99cm)
Footnotes:
A similar marble relief oval with this subject can be found at the Riminaldi Museum, Ferrara.

This form can be traced to Roman reliefs applied to sarcophagi, pediment and lintels which were studied by painters and designers since the 15th century. Artists such as Titian in his cycle of Bacchanals later inspired the artist Francois Duquesnoy, who studied Titian's putti as well as the earlier Classical models.

The group of three central figures in this composition references a section of an ivory plaquette, after Duquesnoy, 'Bacchanalian infants playing Music' held at the Victoria and Albert Museum (accession no. 1060-1853). The ivory is thought to be derived from a now lost piece by the artist famous for his classical realism. Although Duquesnoy himself was Flemish, he spent most of his working life in Rome, influencing his classical style.

Provenance
Probably purchased from Di Castro, Rome, 1984.