Vincenzo Vela

Overall the bronze is in good condition with some dirt to the surface and some wear to the patina consistent with age.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Vela was one of the great exponents of Realism in sculpture and the founder of the verismo movement in Italy. His Last Days of Napoleon is a prime example of that combination of melodrama with acute attention to detail. At the Paris Salon of 1867, Vela's Napoleon was a sensation, although it elicited much debate as to whether it was too Realist or too Romantic.

Vela chose to depict Napoleon as a chair-bound invalid, tracing the ruins of his former empire across a map of Europe. Nonetheless he has retained a heroic bearing which gives the composition its monumentality and emotional tangibility.