Lot 412
  • 412

Italy, 18th century

Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 USD
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Description

  • Vitellius
  • bronze bust
  • height of bronze 14 3/8 in.; 36.5 cm
on waisted marble socle

Provenance

Heim Gallery, London

Condition

General surface abrasions. Proper right shoulder and neck with casting flaw. Both ears with apertures. Interior filled with plaster. Scratches, staining and some chipping to socle.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Copied frequently by Italian painters of the Renaissance, the marble bust of a portly man sent from Rome to Venice in 1523 by Cardinal Domenico Grimani was also disseminated in plaster casts and copies by Renaissance artists in other media.  Whether the Grimani "Vitellius" is a work of the early 16th century or of the Imperial Roman period has been the subject of debate, as has the traditional identification as the emperor Vitellius.