Benedetto Boschetti (fl. 1820-1870) Italian, Rome, circa 1870 After the Antique

Overall the condition of the bronze is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is minor rubbing to the patina at the high points. There are a few light scratches, notably to the emperor's nose, the proper right hand, the proper right forearm and elbow, the proper left hand, the drapery around the proper right hip, the staff, the armour around the proper right shoulder at the back, and to the base at the back. The bronze is cast in sections and a few joins are slightly visible including to the index fingers of both hands. The staff is cast separately and may be detached. There is some light staining to the patina in a few areas including a greenish stain above the proper right eyebrow and some brush marks around the neck and to the legs. There is some sticker residue to the side of the base at the back.
"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 discovery of a monumental marble statue of Augustus during excavations at the Villa of Livia at Prima Porta in 1863 caused a sensation. It was in this statue that the imperial might of ancient Rome seemed to be embodied, and the image inspired a new generation of Grand Tourists in the second half of the 19th century.

It is thought that the marble statue is dependent from a now-lost bronze original, which was erected during Augustus' lifetime. The marble is likely to have been commissioned by Augustus' son, the Emperor Tiberius, perhaps as a gift to his mother Livia, in whose home it was unearthed. The dating of the marble to the beginning of Tiberius' reign (circa 14-20 AD) is corroborated by the elaborate imagery of the Emperor's cuirass. As well as deities and allegorical scenes, the armour depicts the retrieval of Crassus' standards from the Parthians, an event in which the young Tiberius first proved his political prowess, presenting him as a worthy successor to Augustus.

The present bronze was probably cast shortly after the marble’s discovery, which testifies to the instant popularity of the statue. Benedetto Boschetti led a workshop on the Via Condotti in Rome that became one of the foremost in producing fine bronzes after the antique for a Grand Tour clientele. Boschetti himself is recorded as having won a prize medal at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, and a bronze 'Augustus Caesar' from his workshop was exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. The present bronze is a rare large-scale reduction of the Prima Porta Augustus and of particularly refined quality. Each sharply worked detail, including the intricate cuirass, captures the imposing effect of the marble now in the Vatican.

RELATED LITERATURE
P. Zanker, The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus, Ann Arbor, 1990; A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori italiani dell'ottocento e del primo novecento, Turin, 2003, vol. 1, p. 104