Sculpture, Venere in Marmo - 65 cm - Carrara marble






He accumulated 18 years' experience, worked as junior specialist at Sotheby’s and managed Kunsthandel Jacques Fijnaut.
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Description from the seller
Important white marble female sculpture, carved entirely by hand from a single block, in the manner of Giuseppe Bessi (Volterra, 1857–1922), probably created toward the mid-20th century.
The sculpture represents a refined nude female figure in a neoclassic-romantic taste, clearly inspired by the Italian nineteenth-century Venus tradition. The entire composition stands out for its extraordinary formal elegance, balanced proportions, and the high quality of the sculptural workmanship.
The figure is depicted in a harmonious and natural pose, constructed according to the principle of contrapposto: the body's weight rests on one leg while the other is slightly flexed, creating a sinuous and dynamic line. The arms raised behind the head give the composition further vertical momentum and emphasize the anatomical delicacy of the bust, neck, and shoulders.
The face presents soft and finely defined features, with a calm and contemplative expression, consistent with the Italian academic tradition. The long wavy hair runs down the back with a styling rich in movement and depth, highlighting the technical quality of the sculpture and the mastery in rendering the material.
A particularly precious element is the side-sculpted rose beside the figure, a classical symbol of beauty, sensuality, and femininity. The rose, the decorative support, and the rocky base are entirely carved from the same block of marble, confirming authentic and complex workmanship performed directly on the stone.
Of notable artistic interest is the contrast between:
• the surfaces perfectly smooth and polished of the female figure;
• and the areas deliberately left more tactile and rough in the lower part and under the base, where the authentic traces of chisel, rasp, and manual work are still clearly visible.
The lower part of the base indeed shows evident signs of direct artisanal workmanship on the marble, with irregular incisions, manual passes, and carved textures that attest to the original sculpting process. The area around the foot and the lower support also preserves technical details of the work, making visible the sculptor’s labor on living marble.
This detail adds further authenticity to the work and recalls the language of the great Italian sculptural tradition, in which the figure appears to emerge directly from natural matter.
The white marble used is of excellent quality, characterized by extraordinary color uniformity, natural luminosity, and a compact structure. Only minimal natural variations in the stone and very light darker spots typical of true marble are present, fully consistent with the original material.
The condition is excellent.
The sculpture is intact, with no breaks, no evident restorations, and no structural defects. The surfaces are extremely well preserved, maintaining the quality of the original polishing and workmanship.
Dimensions:
• Total height: 65 cm
• Figure height: 62 cm
• Base: 18.3 × 14.3 cm
• Base height: 3 cm
• Elbow-to-elbow width: 25 cm
• Flower-to-hip width: 21 cm
• Head height: 8 cm
• Head width with hair: 9 cm
• Bust thickness: 11.3 cm
• Weight: about 25 kg
A work with notable stage presence, highly inspired by the refined Tuscan sculpture production of the late nineteenth century, ideal for collections of neoclassical art, Italian figurative sculpture, or important interior settings.
Shipping and Pickup
Option 1 – Pickup organized by the buyer
The buyer can independently arrange pickup through their own courier. The sculpture will be prepared with professional packing, reinforced protections, and possibly a wooden pallet/crate. Pickup available on the ground floor from Varese (Italy).
⸻
Option 2 – Transport organized by the seller
Transport available via specialized company with professional packing and shipment on a wooden pallet/crate.
Indicative costs:
• Italy: 95 € – 120 €
• Germany / France / Belgium: 145 € – 180 €
• Spain: 159 € – 190 €
• Romania: 199 € – 240 €
• Rest of Europe: 229 € – 350 €
• Non-EU / rest of the world: 490 € – 700 €
Indicative amounts to be confirmed after purchase via private messages on Catawiki, based on the final destination and the carrier’s current tariff.
The transport must be paid by the buyer before shipment, based on the proforma/invoice issued by the company in charge.
Important white marble female sculpture, carved entirely by hand from a single block, in the manner of Giuseppe Bessi (Volterra, 1857–1922), probably created toward the mid-20th century.
The sculpture represents a refined nude female figure in a neoclassic-romantic taste, clearly inspired by the Italian nineteenth-century Venus tradition. The entire composition stands out for its extraordinary formal elegance, balanced proportions, and the high quality of the sculptural workmanship.
The figure is depicted in a harmonious and natural pose, constructed according to the principle of contrapposto: the body's weight rests on one leg while the other is slightly flexed, creating a sinuous and dynamic line. The arms raised behind the head give the composition further vertical momentum and emphasize the anatomical delicacy of the bust, neck, and shoulders.
The face presents soft and finely defined features, with a calm and contemplative expression, consistent with the Italian academic tradition. The long wavy hair runs down the back with a styling rich in movement and depth, highlighting the technical quality of the sculpture and the mastery in rendering the material.
A particularly precious element is the side-sculpted rose beside the figure, a classical symbol of beauty, sensuality, and femininity. The rose, the decorative support, and the rocky base are entirely carved from the same block of marble, confirming authentic and complex workmanship performed directly on the stone.
Of notable artistic interest is the contrast between:
• the surfaces perfectly smooth and polished of the female figure;
• and the areas deliberately left more tactile and rough in the lower part and under the base, where the authentic traces of chisel, rasp, and manual work are still clearly visible.
The lower part of the base indeed shows evident signs of direct artisanal workmanship on the marble, with irregular incisions, manual passes, and carved textures that attest to the original sculpting process. The area around the foot and the lower support also preserves technical details of the work, making visible the sculptor’s labor on living marble.
This detail adds further authenticity to the work and recalls the language of the great Italian sculptural tradition, in which the figure appears to emerge directly from natural matter.
The white marble used is of excellent quality, characterized by extraordinary color uniformity, natural luminosity, and a compact structure. Only minimal natural variations in the stone and very light darker spots typical of true marble are present, fully consistent with the original material.
The condition is excellent.
The sculpture is intact, with no breaks, no evident restorations, and no structural defects. The surfaces are extremely well preserved, maintaining the quality of the original polishing and workmanship.
Dimensions:
• Total height: 65 cm
• Figure height: 62 cm
• Base: 18.3 × 14.3 cm
• Base height: 3 cm
• Elbow-to-elbow width: 25 cm
• Flower-to-hip width: 21 cm
• Head height: 8 cm
• Head width with hair: 9 cm
• Bust thickness: 11.3 cm
• Weight: about 25 kg
A work with notable stage presence, highly inspired by the refined Tuscan sculpture production of the late nineteenth century, ideal for collections of neoclassical art, Italian figurative sculpture, or important interior settings.
Shipping and Pickup
Option 1 – Pickup organized by the buyer
The buyer can independently arrange pickup through their own courier. The sculpture will be prepared with professional packing, reinforced protections, and possibly a wooden pallet/crate. Pickup available on the ground floor from Varese (Italy).
⸻
Option 2 – Transport organized by the seller
Transport available via specialized company with professional packing and shipment on a wooden pallet/crate.
Indicative costs:
• Italy: 95 € – 120 €
• Germany / France / Belgium: 145 € – 180 €
• Spain: 159 € – 190 €
• Romania: 199 € – 240 €
• Rest of Europe: 229 € – 350 €
• Non-EU / rest of the world: 490 € – 700 €
Indicative amounts to be confirmed after purchase via private messages on Catawiki, based on the final destination and the carrier’s current tariff.
The transport must be paid by the buyer before shipment, based on the proforma/invoice issued by the company in charge.
