A very rare Naples, Real Fabbrica Ferdinandea, family group fragment (Panchina del Real Passeggio), circa 1793-95 Probably modelled by Filippo Tagliolini, painted by Giovan Battista Polidoro, as an elegantly dressed gentleman seated on a bench, a small boy standing beside him, 15.8cm high Footnotes: Angela Caròla-Perrotti presents a compelling argument that these Panchini groups were conceived as a complement to the dessert service of the Servizio delle Vedute Napolitane, also known as the Servizio del'Oca (Angela Caròla-Perrotti, Le Porcellane dei Borbone di Napoli, 1986, p. 477f). They formed part of a royal commission for an elaborate table centrepiece, alongside individual figures and groups depicting members of the Neapolitan bourgeoisie. Archival records document payments made to the painter Giovan Battista Polidoro for the decoration of seventy-five such figures. Caròla-Perrotti further attributes the models to Filippo Tagliolini, citing not only their close stylistic affinity with signed works by the sculptor, but also the fact that all of the sculptural elements created for the royal services were designed by him. In light of Tagliolini's central role in these prestigious commissions, it seems highly improbable that these groups would have been designed by any other artist. Ten of these groups are known to have survived: four in the Museo e Gallerie Nazionali di Capodimonte, two in the Capitoline Museum, Rome, two in the Legion of Honor Museum, San Francisco (formerly Fiordalisi Collection, sold in these rooms, 7 December 2017, lots 88 and 89), one in the Castello Sforzesco, Milan and one sold by E & H Manners, London. One further fragment is in a private collection (published by Caròla-Perrotti, op cit., p. 488, no. 431). For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing