Carlo Nicoli

Carlo Nicoli Jnr., Villa Nicoli, Lugano

Overall the condition of the marbles is good with minor dirt and wear to the surfaces consistent with age and handling. The marbles appear to have been outdoors in a protected environment (protected from the elements), as the surfaces are in good condition but there is some slight yellowish discolouration, in particular to Summer's chest and legs at the front, and down Winter's proper right side. There is veining throughout, consistent with material. There are some slightly open veins, including to above the bunch of grapes held in Summer's right hand and another to the drapery above and below the pine cone in Winter's proper left hand. The big toes (and some of the other toes) of Spring, Autumn (just her proper right big toe) and Winter are restored. There are a few other restorations including: Autumn's scythe, which is replaced; Summer's proper left index finger; and a section of Winter's drapery at the back at the bottom. There may be some restoration to Spring's nose. There are chips to the edges of the marble bases. The bronze bases are in excellent condition with minor wear.
"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."

It is extremely rare to find a complete set of four life-size marble figures by a leading 19^th-century Italian sculptor. This beautiful group of the Four Seasons was carved by Carlo Nicoli, who was one of the most successful artists working in Florence during the mid- to late 19^th century. Born in Carrara, Nicoli went on to carve out an international career for himself, creating sculptures for as far afield as Britain, Australia, South Africa, Mexico and Argentina; he was even knighted by King Alfonso XIII of Spain.

Nicoli’s Four Seasons are presented in the guises of idealised young women. He thus departs from the standard representation of Winter, for example, as a bearded old man. Instead, Nicoli presents an elegant young woman draped in billowing folds of cloth, her right arm pulling her drapery close to her body to shield herself from the freezing air. Even the Carrara marble, it seems, purveys a sense of cold; the pine cones that the girl holds being the only hint at warmth (pine cones traditionally served as a source of fuel).

Winter gives way to Spring, who is crowned with a diadem of flowers, a symbol of youth and merry making. Following her, we see Summer, who stands poised, scythe resting against her thigh, as she holds a sheath of wheat in her left arm, and then we see the graceful figure of Autumn, who bears a panier of fruit and vines. In each of these charming personifications, the sculptor has succeeded in creating a superb play of textures, as skin and cloth give way to the cold metal of the scythe, the harsh wicker of the basket, and the soft delicacy of fruit and flowers. This array of surface textures is complimented by a gentle sensuousness evident particularly in Spring, as her thin chemise slips below her breast.

Nicoli carved two sets of the Four Seasons, the other being that which is installed above the grand entrance of the Galleria Umberto I in Naples, the city’s chic belle époque shopping arcade, built between 1887 and 1891. The present group is distinguished by its provenance, coming directly from the artist’s family home, the Villa Nicoli on the shores of Lake Lugano. Sandra Berresford has noted that the sculptor exhibited a marble set of the Four Seasons in Liverpool in 1875 (op. cit.). Given that the present marbles are carved with a greater degree of attention to detail than the Naples versions, it is possible that they can be identified as the 1875 sculptures, which he clearly intended to be a showpiece of his artistic talents before the British public. The plaster models are housed in the Studio Nicoli in Carrara, which still exists today.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori Italiani dell’ottocento e del primo novecento da Antonio Canova ad Arturo Martini, Turin, 2003, pp. 651, 658-659; S. Berresford, “Sognando il marmot” Cultura e commercio del maro tra Carrara, Gran Bretagna e Impero, Pisa, 2009, pp. 98-99