Achille Simonetti

Overall, the condition is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The marble retains its beautifully polished and carved original surface.There is light veining to the marble, consistent with the material, in particular to the boy's proper right arm and chest. The dog's proper right front paw is reattached. There are a few very small chips, including to the dog's tail and to the edges of the base. There are some small chips and abrasions to the edges of the drapery, in particular at the back. There is a small loss, probably a tassel, to the drapery at the front between the dog's paws. There is some small abrasions to the surface, including to the boy's lower back. There are restored breaks at the dog's hind legs. There are restored breaks at the boy's proper right leg, where it has been reattached at the ankle and below the knee. The presence of the restored breaks indicates that the dog and the boy's lower right leg may have been detached and subsequently reattached.
"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."

Born the son of Roman sculptor Luigi Simonetti, Achille was educated at the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca and trained under his father, before his family relocated to Australia in around 1850 under the instruction of Bishop James Quinn. Here, the Italian sculptor taught at the New South Wales Academy of Art and achieved widespread acclaim, winning the New South Wales Academy of Art Sculpture Prize in 1874 and 1875, and the sculpture prize at the International Exhibition in Sydney in 1879.

Simonetti was commissioned to produce busts for some of Sydney’s most influential figures including that of John Fairfax which is now in the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra (inv. no. 2002.76), and those of Sir Alfred Stephen, Edward Combes CMG, and Commodore J. G. Goodenough which are now preserved in the Art Gallery of New South Wales (inv. nos. 3265, 9942, and 1178 respectively). The latter of these was also exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts, London.

His life-size monument to Quinn (St Stephen’s cathedral, Brisbane) has been cited as Simonetti’s greatest work, and was heralded a ‘fine example of the sculptor's art’ of which the ‘likeness was very faithful’ (The Queenslander (Brisbane), 13th February 1892).

The present model exudes charm, and certainly showcases Simonetti’s celebrated ability. Indeed, the beautifully textured carving of the dog’s fur and of the young boy’s hair is perfectly complemented by the polished surface of the marble.

RELATED LITERATURE
N. S. Hutchinson, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, (MUP), 1976; A. Panzetta, Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani dell’ottocento e del primo Novecento, vol. 2., Turin, 2003, p. 851