Ildebrando Bastiani

Overall the condition of the marble is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are areas of restoration to the eagle's beak, the tip of its proper left wing, and the woman's little fingers; these are done proficiently and well concealed. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions, including to the woman's abdomen, her proper left leg, the drapery at the back, and the buttocks; some of the inclusions or open veins have been minimised with the use of white material, including to the proper right shin, hip and shoulder. There are a few minor chips to the bottom edge.
"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."

A Florentine by birth, Bastiani was a pupil of Rivalta in Milan and worked at one time in the studio of Cesare Zocchi. His oeuvre is characterised by a typically Italian combination of grand allegorical compositions and more sentimental genre works. The present sculpture relates to depictions of Hebe and Jupiter, which had been popularised by François Rude’s model of the same subject. The present marble wilfully disposes of the austerity of Rude’s figure, replacing it with an element of fantasy and playful frivolity, her pose and character recalling those of the dancers whose sculptures were so in vogue at the time. Here Bastiani expresses his confidence as a sculptor through his contrasts in treatment of the surface throughout the model, juxtaposing the eagle's coarse feathers with iridescent flesh, and the beautiful diaphanous drapery which accords a certain majesty.

RELATED LITERATURE
V. Vicario, Gli Scultori Italiani dal Neoclassicisimo al Liberty, Vol. 1, Lodi, 1994, p. 99; E. Bénézit, Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, Paris, 1999, pp. 845-846; A. Panzetta, Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani dell'Ottocento e del Primo Novecento, Turin, 2003, vol. 1, p. 77