Sculpture, Busto di Ercole Farnese - 43 cm - Earthenware

Title

Terracotta bust of Hercules

Large bust of Hercules in patinated terracotta – attributable to the late eighteenth century

Description
Important sculptural bust depicting Farnese Hercules characterized by strong expressive intensity and especially vigorous modeling of the face, the hairstyle, and the beard.

The work features a brown-bronze patina that accentuates the volumes and gives the surface an antique and tactile appearance. Of particular interest are the monumental quality of the face, the pronounced chiaroscuro of the masses, and the rich treatment of the beard, made up of deeply modeled tufts.

By stylistic and technical characteristics, the work can be attributed to the late eighteenth to early nineteenth century, in the absence of a signature or documentation that would allow a definitive dating.

The bust comes from an old residence that belonged in the last century to a priest and remained for a long time in the same private setting.

The work shows signs of time, abrasions, small cracks and natural surface irregularities, visible in the photographs and consistent with the age and technique of realization. These elements contribute to the historic and decorative character of the object.

Material: patinated terracotta
Attributed era: late 18th – early 19th century
Dimensions: about 43 × 36 × 33 cm, approx. 40 kg
Provenance: Italian private collection, from the residence of a priest in the 20th century.

A sculpture with notable dramatic presence, suitable for an ancient sculpture collection, a Wunderkammer, or a space with a particularly historic and decorative character.

Given the delicacy and fragility of the work, packing with a wooden crate is necessary.