Donatello Gabbrielli

Overall the condition of the marble is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is veining to the marble consistent with the material, including a brownish colouration in the base and block the figure sits on, particularly at the back. There are a number of small naturally occurring inclusions to the marble, such as at the wrists. There are various small chips and abrasions to the sides and corners of the base, and to the block (mostly to the back). There are a few minor abrasions to the body. There is a small drilled hole inside the urn. There is a yellowish patina to the braids and top of the head.
"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."

After tentative beginnings as an independent sculptor and the lean years of the First World War, Gabbrielli inherited the successful workshop of his master, Cesare Fantacchiotti, in 1922. His first sculptures at the helm of this famed atelier are of a smaller scale and possess a distinctly French tongue-in-cheek character, being inspired by certain Sèvres biscuit models and the paintings of François Boucher and Jean-Baptiste Greuze. Titles such as Amore sorpresa, Colpo di vento, and Nascondino, underline the playful nature of these works. Unfortunately his drôle small sculptures seem to have brought limited success and the young sculptor was forced to moonlight as a designer of advertisements for a local typographer. As Europe recovered from the Great War clients thankfully started returning to the workshop. Initially Gabbrielli was mostly occupied with the restoration of the public and garden fountains for which the Fantacchiotti workshop was renowned but commissions for new works followed suit. From 1930 onwards Gabbrielli executed several major multi-figure groups including the arm wrestling Atleti in 1932 and the Three Graces in 1940. Like the present marble, they are characterised by a modern outlook on anatomy - naturalistic but slightly stylised - and stripped of attributes and superfluous detail. La Fonte della vita is among the most successful figures from the florescence of Gabbrielli’s career as an independent sculptor. It combines the lessons absorbed from Fantacchiotti’s famous Belle Epoque fountain figures and the focused contemporary aesthetic. The first marble version of La Fonte della vita was commissioned by Marchese Giuseppe d’Ayala Valva for his villa on the Amalfi coast, where it decorated the gardens together with several other marbles by Gabbrielli. An earthquake in 1980 sadly destroyed the version at the Villa d’Ayala Valva, leaving only the present marble and a gesso version in a private collection (see Due secoli…, op.cit., fig. 33).

RELATED LITERATURE
Due secoli di scultura attraverso la bottega Fantacchiotti-Gabbrielli, exh. cat. Villa Renatico Martini, Pistoia, Florence, 1995, pp. 57-73, and 156, fig. 33; G. Silvestri (ed.), L’opera ritrovata. La bottega Fantacchiotti Gabbrielli tra ‘800 e ‘900, exh. cat. Palazzo Ducale, Massa, 1998, p. 173; A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori italiani dell’Ottocento e del primo Novecento. Da Antonio Canova ad Arturo Martini, Turin, 2003, pp. 419 and 451, fig. 820