After a model attributed to Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-1488) Italian, Florence, 19th century

with a label inscribed: BERNHEIMER COLLECTION 6 / 6921

Inventory of L. Bernheimer, at Palais Bernheimer, Lenbachplatz, Munich 

The lavabo is affixed to a wall at Burg Marquartstein and would have to be professionally removed. Overall the condition of the lavabo is good, with some dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The surface is darkened in the crevices around the outer decoration of the basin, and notably to the face of the mermaid creature on the right, and there are several dark stains, probably from moisture. There are a few losses, including: to a few of the acorn leaves on the right side; to one of the corners of the shield; to a section of the foliate decoration on the front left foot; and to the top edge of the base, where some plaster is visible where it joins the basin. There are several chips and abrasions, notably around the outer edge of the arch, and to the bottom edge on the right side. There are also chips to the back edge of the basin and to the basin's upper rim. There is a small chip to the nose of the mermaid on the left. There is veining to the limestone throughout, consistent with the material; some veins are slightly open, notably one to the boar's face on the left and to the decoration band of the basin to the lion's left, with some loss. There is also veining to the black limestone panel. The lavabo is composed of sections, and joints are slightly visible with plaster fill. One of the joints is slightly open, but stable, where the urn joins the acorn garland; this is visible from the sides. A translucent lacquer has been applied to the bottom half of the inside of the basin, and there is staining to the inside of the basin throughout, consistent with use. There is some lacquer residue to the left of the dolphin, and further lacquer or dirt residue to the body of the vase, to the mouth of the boar on the right, and to the Medici shield. There are metal spouts to the boars' mouths and there is a metal drain on the inside of the basin. The lion's head appears to have been waxed. There are a few splashes of white paint to the top edge of the basin.
"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."

This lavabo, a wall fountain designed for the ritual washing of the hands, is a rare facsimile of a seminal piece of Renaissance art that can be found in the Old Sacristy of the San Lorenzo Church in Florence. It is generally attributed to one of the great artists of the Italian Renaissance, Andrea di Michele di Francesco de Cione, known as Andrea del Verrocchio. Verrocchio led an important workshop in Florence that produced sculptures, goldsmith's work, and paintings for a host of important patrons and buildings. Among his greatest triumphs are the golden ball that surmounts the Florence Duomo, Christ and Saint Thomas on the facade of the Orsanmichele, the equestrian statue of Bartolommeo Colleoni in front of the Scuola di San Rocco in Venice, and the lavabo. In addition to this legacy, Verrocchio also trained the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Pietro Perugino, and Lorenzo di Credi.

The original lavabo is likely to have been commissioned by Cosimo de' Medici shortly before his death in 1464 but has a chequered history otherwise: both sixteenth-century chroniclers and modern scholars contest its precise date and variously attribute all or part of the object to as many as five sculptors. One goes as far as suggesting that the two basins were produced by Donatello in the 1440s, the wall slab is part of an unfinished monument to Giovanni de' Medici started by one of the Rossellino brothers around 1463, and that these elements were combined around 1472 when Verrocchio erected his tomb for Giovanni and Piero de' Medici in the same church. Probably thrown by a statement made by Vasari, Parronchi adds that the conical structure with wings that sits in the smaller basin had been part of a base by Desiderio da Settignano for Donatello's David and was added to the lavabo after Donatello's famous bronze was struck by lightning in 1511. Butterfield's distillation of the plethora of early accounts and stylistic analyses is sensible: stylistic evidence and the earliest mention of the lavabo by Francesco Albertini from 1511 suggest that Antonio Rosselino worked on the current object with Andrea del Verrocchio before 1481, when the latter established himself as a fully independent artist.

While most lavabi in Italian churches consist of a simple stem surmounted by a bowl, the decoration of Verrocchio's lavabo is far more elaborate and is said to be laden with meaning. The objects, animals, and mythological creatures that populate its surface illustrate the might of the Medici family, call for good Christian conduct, and serve to remind us of the continuous presence of evil. The oval lower basin is supported with two creatures that have female torsos, bat wings, lion paws, and snake bodies. These feminine hybrids, as most hybrid creatures in art, were seen to be the result of sinful interbreeding in the Middle Ages and were often portrayed as the executors of punishment in Renaissance literature. The lion's head on the lower basin and the wolf and dog on the sides of the upper basin form a triad of animals that often represents the three major capital sins: Superbia (pride), Avaritia (greed) and Luxuria (lust). In literature, Aristotle, Peraldus, and Dante employed the three animals for their representation of sin. And in addition to making regular appearances in medieval visual arts, the triad is also a component of several prints and paintings from the Renaissance, including Titian's Allegory in the National Gallery, London. Continuing to the front of the upper basin and along its rim we see a group of emblems that refer to the Medici patronage: the palle on a cartouche surrounded by a diamond ring, a ribbon inscribed SEMPER and a wreath of oak leaves. The conical structure that emerges from the upper basin is enveloped by bat wings attached to serpentine bodies entwined with leonine legs. Even though it has been said that this piece is a later addition, the choice of animal parts ties in with the other references to sin. Early fifteenth-century representations of Frau Welt in German and Bohemian manuscripts, for example, show the personification of the seven capital sins with bat wings that symbolise Invidia (envy). The Bible describes bats as abominable and repugnant creatures which should not be eaten (Leviticus, 11, 13-19). The falcon presenting the Medici diamond ring on the relief that crowns the lavabo, lastly, seems to dominate all evil creatures below, confining them to their architecture.

It is unclear which Florentine workshop might have carved this elaborate reproduction of a little-known masterpiece of Renaissance art, but once it arrived in Munich it was not to be sold. Thus it became one of the most recognisable pieces of the collections in the Italianate palazzo of the Bernheimer family in Munich from the 1880s. Today it marks one's entrance into the halls of Burg Marquartstein at the end of the grand staircase.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Stokes, The Quattro Cento and Stones of Rimini, Charlottesville, 2002; A. Butterfield, The sculptures of Andrea del Verrocchio, New Haven, 1997; S. Cohen, Animals as disguised symbols in Renaissance art, Leiden, 2008, pp. 195-239 

This lot remains in its current location in Germany where it will be available for viewing by prospective buyers by appointment with Sotheby’s, and for collection by the successful buyer at their own risk and expense following the sale of the lot. High resolution images of the lot are available on the Sotheby’s website, sothebys.com. Should you have any queries regarding the sale of this lot please contact Amelia Harris, Sale Administrator (amelia.harris@sothebys.com or +44 (0) 207 293 5502).