Scipione Tadolini

James Mason (died 1903), Eynsham Park, Witney, Oxfordshire;
thence by descent to James Francis Mason (died 1925) and Lady Evelyn Margaret Mason (née Lindsay)(1870-1944);
thence by descent to Lieutenant-Commander Michael Henry Mason;
thence by family descent to the present owners

Overall the condition of the marble is excellent, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is some light veining to the marble consistent with the material, including to the woman's lower back. There is a stable, natural, slightly open vein to the marble at the front of the terrasse below the proper right leg. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions, including to the hair on the proper right side of the head and to the chest (with fill). There are a few specks of dirt to the top of the head, and there is dust in the crevices of the terrasse. The terrasse has been carved in sections, and original joints are slightly visible in areas. There are a few small chips, including to some of the flowers at the back. One of the metal handles for revolving is slightly loose. There is some wear to the marble base, including chips around the edges. The wood column is in good condition with some wear, in particular to the base section where there is wear to the paintwork and some chips at the bottom. The column is composed of three sections: an outer shell of wood with a metal mount, a wood core, and a wood top with the revolving mechanism in metal.
"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."

The Tadolini family occupies a fascinating position in the history of Roman sculpture. Four generations of the family of stone carvers lived and worked in the same studio for some 150 years. The building still exists today, on the corner of the Via del Babuino over looked by the Greek Church of S. Anastasia; it is now the Canova-Tadolini Museum. The head of the family, Adamo Tadolini, was an assistant in Antonio Canova's studio and was responsible for producing the working models for many of Canova's most important works. Adamo came to be recognised as Canova's most skilled studio assistant and Canova himself helped him establish his own studio at the Via del Babuino.

Scipione Tadolini, Adamo's eldest son, was trained in his father's studio. Moving away from a strict classicism, Scipione imbues classical subject matter with the Romantic spirit. The Eve, conceived circa 1866 at a time when Scipione was approaching the height of his career, ranks, together with the Schiava Greca, as being one of the sculptor's most celebrated and successful models. Scipione presents Eve after the fall, her hand raised to her cheek, in contemplation of her sin, and her nudity partly obscured by leaves. Eve is a re-imagining of the classical nude, evoking the Hellenistic model of the Crouching Venus, though lending to it a Biblical subject and an air of romanticism. The decision to represent Eve reclining was, however, very innovative, and a departure from the usual format of presenting her upright. Scipione's debt to the classicism of his father and to Canova is evident in the sensual modelling of Eve's form. A plaster model of Tadolini's Eve is housed in the Galleria Comunale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Rome (inv. no. AM-2556), whilst marble versions of the Eve can be found in Botanical Gardens, Glasgow (formerly in the collection of James White), and in the Villa Cimbrone, Ravello.

The present marble is a particularly fine autograph version in excellent condition. The carving of the leaves and waterfall is superb, and characteristic of Tadolini's finest work. Eynsham Park, where the marble was located for much of its history, is a Jacobean country house in Oxfordshire. It was built for James Mason, a wealthy engineer, by Sir Ernest George RA, whose pupils included Sir Edwin Lutyens.

RELATED LITERATURE
T. F. Hufschmidt, Tadolini: Adamo, Scipione, Giulio, Enrico: Quattro generazioni di scultori a Roma nei secoli XIX e XX, Rome, 1996, pp. 202-206; A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori Italiani dell'ottocento e del primo novecento da Antonio Canova ad Arturo Martini, Turin, 2003, pp. 900-901