Francesco Bertos Bacchus or Autumn
Francesco Bertos
1678 - 1741
Italian, Venice, first half of the 18th century
Bacchus or Autumn
marble
66.4cm., 26⅛in.
Catalogue Note:
Bertos’s distinctive artistic world is firmly rooted in 18th-century Venetian art, with dancing silhouettes and airy compositions. Charles Avery has indeed identified several parallels between Bertos’s work and the paintings of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696 - 1770) and his son, Giovanni Domenico (1727 - 1804) (op. cit., pp. 87–89). Of particular relevance is a drawing by Giovanni Domenico depicting the god of wine and drunkness, sold at Christie’s in Paris on 18 March 2004 (lot 68). His pronounced contrapposto and the gesture of the hand touching the top of his head are strikingly reminiscent of the composition of the present marble. This compelling comparison attests to the affinity between Bertos’s sculptural work and the sophisticated aesthetic of Venetian Rococo painting.
Stylistically, the present Bacchus is consistent with Bertos’s œuvre, particularly in the deeply recessed eyes, slightly aquiline nose and strongly projecting brow ridges. A particularly pertinent comparison may be drawn with the group of Bacchus and a Young Satyr, sold at Christie’s in London on 5 December 1994 (lot 82). The present work also demonstrates Bertos’s extraordinary technical virtuosity: the legs and arms are sculpted with admirable delicacy, rivaling the meticulous workmanship of the finest ivory carvers. The Inquisition, little inclined to fathom the mysteries of artistic genius, even accused Bertos of having made a pact with the Devil.
Provenance:
Private collection, the Netherlands;
With Daniel Katz Gallery, London;
From whom acquired, private collection, London.
Literature:
C. Avery, The Triumph of Motion. Francesco Bertos (1678-1741) and the Art of Sculpture. Catalogue Raisonné, Turin, 2008, p. 171, pl. 34, no. 26;
F. Mazzocca, M. De Vicenti, Francesco Bertos e la Caduta degli angeli ribelli, exh. cat. Gallerie d’Italia, Vicenza, 2024, pp. 104-105, cat. 58 / III.3.
Francesco Bertos
1678 - 1741
Italian, Venice, first half of the 18th century
Bacchus or Autumn
marble
66.4cm., 26⅛in.
Catalogue Note:
Bertos’s distinctive artistic world is firmly rooted in 18th-century Venetian art, with dancing silhouettes and airy compositions. Charles Avery has indeed identified several parallels between Bertos’s work and the paintings of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696 - 1770) and his son, Giovanni Domenico (1727 - 1804) (op. cit., pp. 87–89). Of particular relevance is a drawing by Giovanni Domenico depicting the god of wine and drunkness, sold at Christie’s in Paris on 18 March 2004 (lot 68). His pronounced contrapposto and the gesture of the hand touching the top of his head are strikingly reminiscent of the composition of the present marble. This compelling comparison attests to the affinity between Bertos’s sculptural work and the sophisticated aesthetic of Venetian Rococo painting.
Stylistically, the present Bacchus is consistent with Bertos’s œuvre, particularly in the deeply recessed eyes, slightly aquiline nose and strongly projecting brow ridges. A particularly pertinent comparison may be drawn with the group of Bacchus and a Young Satyr, sold at Christie’s in London on 5 December 1994 (lot 82). The present work also demonstrates Bertos’s extraordinary technical virtuosity: the legs and arms are sculpted with admirable delicacy, rivaling the meticulous workmanship of the finest ivory carvers. The Inquisition, little inclined to fathom the mysteries of artistic genius, even accused Bertos of having made a pact with the Devil.
Provenance:
Private collection, the Netherlands;
With Daniel Katz Gallery, London;
From whom acquired, private collection, London.
Literature:
C. Avery, The Triumph of Motion. Francesco Bertos (1678-1741) and the Art of Sculpture. Catalogue Raisonné, Turin, 2008, p. 171, pl. 34, no. 26;
F. Mazzocca, M. De Vicenti, Francesco Bertos e la Caduta degli angeli ribelli, exh. cat. Gallerie d’Italia, Vicenza, 2024, pp. 104-105, cat. 58 / III.3.
