Pio Fedi

Overall the condition of the marble is good. There is dirt and wear to the marble, including a few small chips and scratches, in particular to the edges of the drapery. The marble is set into a later socle. There are a number of larger chips at the edge of the base below the signature. There is some veining to the marble, consistent with the material. There are small naturally occurring inclusions throughout, including a denser area of inclusions at the proper right shoulder. The little finger of the proper right hand is reattached, there is discolouration to this finger and the next, possibly as a result of restoration. There are some paint marks to the inner proper right leg, possibly also to the proper left arm and hand.
"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."

Pio Fedi studied under Lorenzo Bartolini and Pietro Tenerani and the influence of both masters can be seen in the present work. Visually it recalls Tenerani's lissome demi-nudes such as his Flora in the Hermitage Museum and his Pysche Abandonned in the Palazzo Pitti, with their emphasis on the nervous and linear qualities of the drapery. In his choice of inscribed title, L'Immortalità or Vità del'ànimà, Fedi claims the same spirit of moral purity which Bartolini famously harnessed in the title of his masterpiece, Fiducia in Dio (see lot 98.)

In the auction sale of sculpture from Fedi's studio, which was held in Rome in 1894, a version of this model was included. In the sale catalogue it was called The Chrysalis and described as a nude girl holding a butterfly coming out of a cocoon in her left hand, which she 'contemplates with perplexity.' The theme of a young girl's transition into womanhood is clearly symbolised by this emblem. The theme was a popular one in Italian sculpture of the period. Pio Fedi imbues it with particular delicacy and charm using subtle carving and jewel-like detail.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori italiani, Turin, 2003, vol. 1, p. 363; V. Vicario, Gli scultori italiani, Lodi, 1994, pp. 442-6; Catalogue de l'atelier de sculpture du Prof Pio Fedi à Florence, Florence, 1894, p. 21