A bronze model of a seated female nude

A bronze model of a seated female nude, attributable to Barthélemy Prieur, (circa 1536 - 1611), portrayed wearing a headband and looking down to dexter, her right hand reaching down to the heel of her right foot, with drapery across her loins; on a square section marble base with marble soclle

The bronze 13.75cm high; the height overall 17.75cm

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AND EXAMPLES:

See W.Bode, The Italian Bronze Statuettes of the Renaissance, M.A.S. de Reinis, New York, 1980, Plate CCXV for a similar example held at the Huntington Library, San Marino, California, (Object Number 17:17). Bode has the bronze as Italo-Netherlandish, but the Huntington now attributes it to Barthélemy Prieur

Another example, firmly attributed to Prieur is held at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, (Accession Number: 25.142.5); whilst a third can be seen in the Staatliche Museen at Berlin, (Ident.Nr. 1970). Interestingly all of these examples are undraped

Condition Report: Very minor marks and scuffs overall consistent with age. The bronze has a glossy dark brown patina, with a lighter golden hue to the exposed extremities.

The patina is relatively even overall save for a slightly uneven, almost streaky area to the back (perhaps a result of polishing). This area has three tiny scratch marks (circa 0.5cm max).

There are two small dents to the upper left arm, just below the shoulder, one circa 3mm, the other smaller.

Small chip to the rear left corner of the socle.

The bronze is in perfectly presentable condition overall.