Sculpture, Memento Mori - Scultura in Bronzo Raffigurante Cranio Sorridente, Europa, XIX Secolo - 8 cm - Lost wax casting

Memento Mori – Bronze Sculpture Depicting a Smiling Skull, Europe, Mid 19th Century (Victorian Era)

Cast bronze sculpture depicting a human skull with an ironically smiling expression, conceived according to the tradition of memento mori, a theme deeply rooted in the symbolist and moralizing culture of 19th-century Europe. The work features an intense and realistic plastic rendering, with deep orbital cavities, a marked dental arch, and a deliberately irregular surface modeling, intended to evoke decay, transience, and meditation on the fleeting nature of existence.
The object can be consistently placed within the Victorian era (circa 1860–1900), a period during which the cult of death, memory, and funeral symbolism gained widespread popularity both in private collecting and in desk accessories. The possibility of also identifying it as a paperweight is entirely correct: its high weight, the compactness of the casting, and the partially finished flat base make it functional as well as decorative, as was often the case with 'moral' desk objects of that period.
From a technical perspective, the sculpture appears to have been made using lost wax casting. The base shows an irregular but closed foundation, not hollowed out internally, which suggests a solid and intentionally massive production typical of the 19th century, rather than a lightweight, serial 20th-century casting. Tool marks and slight asymmetries are evident, reinforcing the hypothesis of handcrafted rather than industrial workmanship. The patina is dark, natural, with consistent oxidation that was not artificially accelerated, further supporting a 19th-century date.
Regarding the geographical origin, the object is likely attributable to Central or Western Europe, with good compatibility with British, French, or Austro-German cultural spheres, where memento mori found particular popularity in the Victorian and Symbolist contexts.