Follower of François Duquesnoy (1597-1643), Italian, Rome, late 17th/ 18th century

each relief stamped UFFICIO ESPORTAZIONE OGGETTI DI ANTICHITA E D'ARTE FIRENZE and 12 DEC 2002; all numbered 4569 (crossed out) and 4613 and several single-digit numbers

Giovanni Pratesi, Florence, sold TEFAF Maastricht, 2002

Overal the condition of the reliefs is good. There is wear and some dirt to the surface consistent with age. The reliefs with the milking scene and the scene with the dog have been broken into several pieces and restored fissures are visible on both sides. The two other reliefs have received a possibly later layer of slip or clay to the reverse. The relief with the milking scene has a restoration to the underside which is visible on the reverse. There are a few smaller losses and restorations including restorations to the goat's horn in the scene with the dog, the thumb of the putto behind the goat in the milking scene and the hand of the topmost putto in the scene by the water and a loss to the goat's horn in the milking scene. There is some wear to the gilding and paint of the frames and there is some minor worming to the frames.
"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."

The frolicking putti in this decorative set of reliefs clearly derive from François Duquesnoy's composition The bacchanale of the children in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj in Rome. Upon arrival in Rome in 1618 the Fleming Duquesnoy was impressed by reliefs of putti on antique sarcophagi. Together with artists such as Nicolas Poussin he cultivated a taste for these scenes of playful putti which would last until the 19th century. Casts of his most famous sculpture, the marble Bacchanale, became fixtures in many artist's studios and elements of it were widely used in their sculpture. Here the sculptor has adapted several specific figures from Duquesnoy's work into his own composition.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Boudon-Machuel, François du Quesnoy 1597-1643, Paris, 2005, pp. 277-78, no. œ.64b