FERDINANDO VICHI | Danzatrice (Exotic dancer)

sold together with two issues of Selecta magazine: year 1, number 1, May 1917 and year 1, number 6, October 1917

with Font y Staricco, Montevideo, 1917

Published in magazine Selecta, year 1, number 1, Montevideo, 1917, as advertised by Font y Staricco;
A. Panzetta, Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani dell’ottocento e del primo Novecento, vol. 2., Turin, 2003, fig. 1934 (probably the same marble as illustrated)

Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are two small original marble plugs at the abdomen, and two more to the upper thighs. There is a small chip, and a slightly open vein, to the pendant. There are a few small chips and abrasions to the edges of the drapery and the palms. There are a few small losses to the tips of the palm leaves. There is minor natural veining to the marble, including to the proper left upper arm. There is a further small plug to the proper left arm. There are a few small chips to the edges of the base.
"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."

Ferdinando Vichi was a well-known and respected sculptor in Florence in the last part of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. An alabaster workshop was associated with his name in the late 19th century, and he was connected with artists such as Cesare Lapini and Guglielmo Pugi, established sculptors of the Galleria Bazzanti workshops. Although Vichi also worked on subjects after the Antique and Renaissance-inspired models, it was Romantic sculpture he truly excelled at. As his reputation grew, he received not only local commissions, such as a memorial for the fallen of World War I in his native Florence, but also for a more international clientele, who seemed to prefer his Romantic style. The present exuberant marble is an outstanding example of one such Romantic masterpieces intended for the international market. The publication of this Danzatrice in the first edition of Selecta magazine, dated May 1917, shows the marble having been shipped to Montevideo, Uruguay within the relatively short period since its conception in 1914. The oriental beauty, depicted with a delicately fluttering shawl held in her hands, shows clearly Vichi’s skill in conveying movement and delicacy in his marbles. Gently smiling as she dances, this exotic dancer epitomises the Romantic sculpture of the Belle Epoque in Italy, and particularly of the circle of the Bazzanti gallery.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Panzetta, Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani dell'Ottocento e del Primo Novecento, Turin, 2003, vol. II, p. 953, figs. 1933-35