Adèle d'Affry, Duchess Castiglione-Colonna, called Marcello

Sotheby's London, 12 December 2003, lot 255 

Overall, the condition of the bronze is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is particular dirt to the crevices. There is some rubbing to the patina, in particular to the high points, including the legs. There is some dark spotting in areas, in particular to the legs and arms.
"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 unusual, if not unique, subject of Pythia, the oracle in the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, is derived from Marcello’s bust of La Gorgone and is perhaps the most original of her various interpretations of mythological and historical femmes fatales. Pythia was exhibited at the Salon of 1870, but it was Charles Garnier’s commission for an enlarged version to stand in the vestibule of his Paris Opéra which has given this work a prominent profile in nineteenth century French sculpture. Despite this fame casts of this model are very rarely seen on the market. Bessis  described Pythia as ‘un extraordinaire morceau de bravoure par le movement violent, la torsion de la chevelure, l’expression de terreur du regard et du geste qui s’opposent à l’impassibilité du visage’. 

Adèle d'Affry was the daughter of the Swiss Count, Louis d'Affry, and the husband of Carlo Colonna, Duke of Castiglione, whom she met in Italy having moved to Rome in 1854. When her husband tragically died, only eight months after their marriage in 1856, Adèle launched herself into a career as a sculptor, taking on the pseudonym 'Marcello'.  

RELATED LITERATURE
H. Bessis, ‘Marcello ou la Duchesse Colonna’, Bulletine de la societe de l’historie de l’art francais, 1967, pp. 153-159; P. Fusco and H. W. Janson, Romantics to Rodin: French Nineteenth-Century Sculpture from North American Collections, exh. cat. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 1980, pp. 299-300, no. 163