Master of the Unruly Children

Arcade Gallery, London 1957; Peter Ward-Jackson; Cyril Humphris, London

London 1957, no. 7; Washington, New York, Cambridge 1979-1982, no. 9 (illus.); New York 1981, no. 7

London 1957; Avery 1996, pp. 778-779; Zock 2002, p.58; Bellandi 2004, pp. 245 and 249, fig. 9; Sénéchal 2007, p. 242-243, cat. SR46 (illus.)

Losses and restoration throughout. Some flaking remains of paint. Her proper right arm has old restorations and is loose at the elbow and wrist. Fills or restorations also include: the book and her proper right lower arm, her nose, his head/neck, left arm at the elbow and the base. There are also chips and some losses throughout with some over-painted surfaces in areas such as her face and top of head, the child’s proper left arm and throughout the base. The two proper left lower corners of the base have restored breaks. There is a hairline crack from the base up to her proper left foot. Both of the Child’s ankles have been repaired. The sculpture needs attention but is lovely quality and can be restored. A wood panel is fixed to the underside of the base.
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.

RELATED LITERATURE

Ferretti 1992, pp. 33-49, no. 3

The great scholar of Renaissance sculpture Wilhelm von Bode assigned the name 'Master of the Unruly Children' to a cohesive group of terracotta statuettes of women that had in common, among other details, one or more mischievous children surrounding or seated upon the amply clothed figure. The figures of the Virgin, like the present example, include a child that playfully reveals one of his mother's breasts as she reads.

The Sackler group is a finished sculpture that exhibits all of the stylistic idiosyncrasies of this master including: the heavily robed female figure with her feet and knees swung to her left, the delicate facial features and high forehead, and the rendering of the fleshy children. The sculptor executed variations on a general theme including groups of the Virgin and Child, as in the group in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, and figures of Charity, such as the group in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Some terracottas, such as those in the Victoria and Albert Museum and now in the Bode Museum, Berlin have female figures crowned with the same umbrella-like headdress seen here.

From a stylistic point of view, the 'Master of the Unruly Children' clearly worked within Verrochio's and Benedetto da Maiano's spheres of influence; furthermore it is unlikely that the sculptor limited himself to this narrow range of subjects but he remains unidentified.  Giovanni Francesco Rustici, a close associate of Leonardo da Vinci, created a similar unified group of terracottas with minor variations. These terracottas, depicting a clash of soldiers and horses, are of similar size to the Unruly Children groups, and are also clearly not bozzetti but finished sculptures made for collectors. The other series that is related in style to the Unruly Children consists of reclining male figures representing river gods, with various attributes, often upturned urns. There are characteristics of form and movement, facial expression, interpretation of flesh, hair and drapery folds that appear in the Unruly Children groups which are evident in the river gods.  Examples of the River gods are located in the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.