Raimondo Pereda

Overall the condition of the bronze and the marble is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is particular wear to the bronze face at the cheeks, lips and nose, and there are some minor scratches, in particular to the forehead. There are dirt residues to the bronze, and there are some spots of greening below the chin. There is minor wear to the tinted marble hat. There is minor veining to the marble, consistent with the material. There are a few small chips and abrasions to the marble socle. There are some blue-ish residues in the crevices of the tassel.
"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 in Lugano, Switzerland, Pereda first became active in Lombardy where he studied at the Accademia di Brera, and where he became an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Milan in 1890. He exhibited in Turin, Parma, and Milan, in Dublin in 1865, and at the London exhibitions of 1874, 1876, 1878.

The striking contrast of white marble and patinated bronze presented here recalls the orientalising technique championed by distinguished French ethnographic sculptor Charles Cordier (1827-1905), and favoured by Pereda’s Milanese contemporaries; see Bust of Othello, The Moor of Venice by Pietro Calvi (1833-1884) sold in these rooms on 16 December 2015, lot 88.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani dell’ottocento e del primo Novecento, Turin, 2003, p. 688