Abduction of a Sabine Woman (Primary Title)
Attributed to, Giovan Francesco Susini, 1585-1653 Florentine (Artist)
This sculpture is based on the famous 1582 marble sculpture made by Giambologna for the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence (illustrated at right). Here, Giovan Francesco Susini was faced with the challenge of translating Giambologna’s daring, monumental marble into a small bronze. Such small-scale bronzes were eagerly sought by leading collectors throughout Europe well into the 17th century as examples of virtuosity in their own right both for their superb craftsmanship as well as for their expression of the ideals of Renaissance sculpture. In fact, the sculpture by Giambologna is usually considered today as the epitome of the Renaissance artist’s ability to bring remote stories from classical antiquity to vivid life. However, at the time, Giambologna himself suggested he had no interest in the ancient story but instead created the life-size marble as a vehicle for exploring figures dramatically interacting in space.
not signed
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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