Lorenzo Bartolini

Overall the condition of the marble is excellent. There is minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age, including a few very minor scratches. There is some naturally occuring veining to the marble, consistent with the material, including a few slightly more prominent veins to the chest, to the proper left upper arm and shoulder and to the back. There are a number of small naturally occurring inclusions throughout the marble, some of which have been filled.
"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."

Lorenzo Bartolini's Fiducia in Dio is the artist's best-known work and, more generally, is emblematic of Italian sculpture in the generation after Canova. The model recalls Canova's Mary Magdalen, but the nude is more indebted to the observation of nature than the influence of the antique. It typifies the move towards a softer neo-classicism which made way for Romanticism in Italian sculpture.

The piece was commissioned by the Marchesa Rosa Poldi Trivulzio as a domestic memorial to her late husband. It was first exhibited in the artist's studio in Florence, before being shown at the annual exhibition held at the Accademia di Brera in 1837, to great acclaim. Essays and odes were written in praise of the piece and the model became a commercial as well as an academic success. A number of copies and reductions were produced after the original. The present model is a very fine copy in slightly reduced dimensions, which was produced in the artist's workshop, most probably in the 1840s.  

RELATED LITERATURE
F. Falletti ed., Lorenzo Bartolini: Beauty and Truth in Marble, Florence, 2011, no. 54, p. 310; Lorenzo Bartolini. Mostra delle attività di tutela, ex. cat. Florence, 1978, no. 14, pp. 50-1