Giovanni Battista Lombardi

Camilla Facchi Fè D'Ostiani (1834-1901), Palazzo Facchi, Brescia

A. Conconi Fedrigolli, Giovanni Battista Lombardi (1822-1880), Brescia, 2006, pp. 131-133, no. 34

Overall, the condition of the marble is very good, with minor wear to the surface consistent with age. There is dirt to the surface, particularly at the back, and the marble would benefit from a professional cleaning. There are a few naturally occurring inclusions to the marble, in particular to the chest and to the proper right hand. There is minor veining to the marble, consistent with the material, including a vein running diagonally across the back, and a vein running diagonally through the drapery at the bottom and through the proper right lower leg. There are white-ish streaks around the back and the legs, where water has cleaned away the dirt. There is a patch on the proper left upper arm, where the surface has not been completely polished. There are a number of small filled inclusions, in particular to the proper left foot and the proper left upper arm, and to the chest and the drapery at the bottom on the proper right side. There are minor chips around the bottom edge of the terrasse. There are a series of veins in the proper right forearm The revolving base is in very good condition, with minor chips and abrasions to the edges. The upper moulding is made in two sections.
"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 serene marble is a significant, unique work by the celebrated Brescian Romantic sculptor, Giovanni Battista Lombardi. Commissioned by Signora Camilla Facchi Fè D’Ostiani (1834-1901), the statue was executed by Lombardi in 1858 and installed among the ‘golden walls’ of the baths at Palazzo Facchi in Brescia. Causing a stir in the local press, the marble inspired an elaborate ekphrasis in the Brescian newspaper L’Alba, which contained such poetic exclamations as '... her beautiful nudity, the kind which, rather than the senses, inebriates the soul with soothing ideas' (Fedrigolli, op. cit., p. 131). 

Lombardi’s beautiful Nymph merges classical simplicity with romantic sentiment. The young girl, with idealised features, is captured in the act of entering a stream of water, nude but for a drape, which she is seen removing from her thigh. Gazing at the water below, she displays her intricately carved pearl diadem centred by a shell, which indicates her mythological status. Feeling the cold water on her toes, the girl appears to hesitate, hovering her left hand in front of her body, in an imitation of the pudica gesture seen in Roman Venuses. The harmony of the composition allows for a full appreciation in the round; the girl’s wavy tresses and graceful forms creating a supremely elegant rear view. 

Following his studies in his hometown of Rezzato and in Milan, Lombardi moved to Rome around 1850. Here he studied at the Accademia under Pietro Tenerani, one of Thorvaldsen's leading followers, and later worked in his studio. Lombardi soon established a productive studio of his own, which he shared with his younger brother, Giovita. Giovanni Battista was the more inventive of the pair, producing fine busts, funerary and commemorative sculpture, as well as large subject pieces, both religious and profane. Distinguished by his fine ability in handling large marble compositions, Lombardi became known for his female biblical subjects, in which he subtly blends classicism with naturalism, and reserve with allure. One such masterpiece, Ruth, sold in these rooms on 6 December 2011 as lot 99.

Lombardi’s technical excellence is exhibited by the present marble, whose finely carved features and hair, confident handling of the ideal female anatomy, and classical folds of drapery recall the sculptor's prestigious Roman training. Note also the delicacy of the carving of the running water over the Nymph’s toes, a feature which would have mirrored the experience of a visitor to the baths at Palazzo Facchi.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani, Turin, 2003, p. 520; A. Conconi Fedrigolli, Giovanni Battista Lombardi (1822-1880), Brescia, 2006